Yartapuulti acting captain Zak Butters will celebrate his 150th game at AFL level this weekend, with the 25-year-old reflecting on some special moments and people across his career. 

Drafted at pick 12 in 2018, the impressive midfielder has already earned two All-Australian blazers, three John Cahill Medals and third place in the Brownlow Medal count. 

Speaking with the Adelaide media on Wednesday, Butters spoke on his personal performance this year, his belief in Josh Carr and what 150 games means to him. 

Butters on what 150 games means to him 
“It comes around quickly. When I think about it, like when I first got here, some of my teammates like Ollie Wines were playing 150 games, so it jumps up on you pretty quickly. I’m obviously very grateful and fortunate to play 150 games for the club and I’ve played with a lot of special players along the way. So it’s probably not something you reflect on now, but I'm sure when I get a bit older, I will.” 

Butters on working hard to retain his spot in the AFL side 
“Yeah, I knew I wanted to play senior footy pretty quickly (when I got drafted), and then was obviously lucky enough to play early with Connor (Rozee) and Xavier (Duursma), and I think Ryan Burton, Scott Lycett, and Willem (Drew) debuted the same day. So, yeah, I remember that was a special day. And then from there, it's a pretty addictive feeling. You want to keep playing and stay in the team, and especially when you win games of footy and create those memories, that's what it's all about. So, yeah, I think once you're in, you don't really want to lose your spot.” 

Butters on the highlights from his career 
“I think Hoff (Justin Westhoff) kicked five that day (in my debut), so I look back at that and think that was a pretty cool day. And we beat Melbourne at the MCG in my first game, but even just some of the names I got to play with like Brad Ebert, Travis Boak, Robbie Gray, some real legends of the club. So yeah, pretty lucky to play alongside them and learn off them as well.” 

Butters on his relationship to Port Adelaide over the years 
“I think from where I grew up and where I come from, I think my values align really well with the club…blue collar and get to work and try and play footy the right way, and I think the club really values that. And it’s a part of Port Adelaide’s history, and obviously when we were in the SANFL before the AFL, they were pretty successful and liked playing a certain way. Like I said before, once I was in and learned off those older guys and had been around the club for a while, and yeah, pretty lucky to learn off those guys, and I think it's held me in good stead so far.” 

Butters on his own performance this year 
“I guess for me, it's my job to play footy. Like, I enjoy playing footy as well. I think it's really exciting where the group's at, at the moment, a few young boys coming through. I think Joe Berry is playing some of his best footy he has played over the last month, and his mate Jack Whitlock’s in some good form as well, and showing some good signs. So I look back and think I need to be what Travis and Robbie were for them, how they were for me. Footy clubs go in a cycle, it's my time to give back to them and try and make them the best player they can be and a memory of looking back and thinking Zak and Connor, and these kind of guys helped me pave my way for my career. So I think that's kind of where I'm at.” 

Butters on considering his future 
“It's obviously a big decision. You think about everything, like even with Darcy and Ollie in the room now, and I think Aliir came to the club roughly around the same time I got to the club, so you definitely feel that there’s emotion attached to it. Definitely, I think, no matter what the decision is, it’s going to be a pretty emotional one from my end, no matter what I do. So I’ll definitely take all that into it. 

“Yeah, I'll head home for the bye, and see some family and friends, and honestly, I haven't even spoken to my family too much about it, to be honest. I've just really enjoyed having them at games and playing footy, and I always said I'd probably think about it more in the back half of the year. So, I think just like with 150 games, it creeps up on you quickly, so it's probably something I need to start having some conversations around with family and friends and people I'm closest to. 

“I said I'm going to make my decision at the end of the year, so I feel like you obviously go through a number of emotions, up and down, what could be, what can't be, what you want to do, but it's a pretty tough decision. Like I said, I think I'm pretty good at leaving it in the background and worrying about what's in front of me.” 

Butters on the group’s belief in Josh Carr 
“I think Josh has been awesome, and no surprises, I worked with him pretty closely for three years before that, so I never doubted that he was going to step in and be a really good coach, and a really good person for the players at the football club, and I think he's lived up to that. If you look at not results but our stats and what the key stats are in the game, we're trending in the right direction. Josh has had a great impact on my career and how he’s helped transform me as a player over the last three or four years, and I've no doubt that he can do something similar with the whole group.” 

Butters on the playing group taking the club forward 
“I think the group's got really good parts, and I think it's obviously going to change, and people are going to come in, people are going to leave. Players like Josh Lai, he was showing some really good signs with what he can do down back. I still feel like Dante is going to grow and become a good ruckman in the competition. Ewan Mackinlay’s kicked a few goals that were pretty special goals, so if you can keep adding to his game and find more ways to impact, I think he's going to be a really good player. So, I think we've got a number of players to work with, and I'm sure we'll look to keep adding players around that to build success in the future.” 

Butters on Travis Boak’s influence 
“I still chat to Boaky a fair bit, we’ll see him this weekend, actually. So it'll be good to see him, obviously playing Carlton and he works there, so that'll be nice to see Boaky, and I'm sure the boys will get around him and then go against him when the siren starts. But yeah, he's been super for me for my whole career. Even Kenny, to an extent, last year he said, next year is going to be a big year for you. And I said, I'll probably just handle it like I have anything else in my career, do it with a smile and play some good footy, and let the rest take care of itself. I feel like I've enough good role models in my life that I can lean on.” 

Butters on Stuart Dew’s impact 
“Stuey’s been awesome. I didn't know him before he got to the club. Obviously, I knew he was part of a successful era at the club, and had a really good coaching stint at Sydney when they were really good. Obviously, head coach of Gold Coast, and then Brisbane the last few years, and they've been a really good side. I did have high expectations of him coming in, and he's probably surpassed them as well. So, yeah, he's been awesome. I think he has a really good balance between coach and relationship, and I think he's a real glue guy for that 2004 premiership as well. You talk to everyone, and they all love Stuey Dew and I think the whole footy world loves him as well and what he's been able to do.” 

Butters on his conversation with David Koch in Darwin 
“We've had some pretty good chats along the way, we were actually just speaking about the Indigenous community up there and the work the club does, and what a good day it was (at the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup). He spoke about the event the night before and how that was really special, and think it's really good for the people up there to see Kochie and the likes of (CEO) Matthew Richardson up there as well. That probably shows the meaning that the club takes and the pride we have in it. So yeah we were just talking about the work and the facts and the numbers that the club actually do for Indigenous people, obviously here in Adelaide, but then up there as well. I was just mind blown about the impact that the community team actually does have, so yeah, we're just talking about that, and just life, and he's a pretty funny bloke once you get to know him.” 

Butters on visiting a school with teammates in Darwin 
“Yeah, it was good. I think Lachie (Jones) had a mate that he'd played some footy with and worked with in Adelaide, that moved up there and worked at a school. I think like seven or eight of us just jumped in and went out there for 45 minutes, and it was good. They love their footy, they're very passionate, it was probably one of the best little 45 minute clinics I've been at. You see the smiles and the enjoyment they get out of it, they really do enjoy it, and that's why you like getting out there and giving back when you can.”