AFL

Most have known that Zak Butters’ future with Port Adelaide was likely over months ago, so he has nominated the Western Bulldogs as his choice of club to join this offseason.

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Others were in the frame as well, with Collingwood reportedly showing fleeting interest and Geelong, which many thought was at the front of the line for his services.

But in an odd twist, Zak chose the Bulldogs.

Now, it is up to the Dogs to figure out a trade worthy of the Port star. But why did Butters choose the Dogs over the Cats?

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Well, according to SEN’s Sam Edmund, Butters chose the Bulldogs because the Cats never disclosed how a deal would be done with Port, the Dogs did.

«Zak Butters chose the Western Bulldogs because Geelong refused to explain how they would strike a deal with Port Adelaide,» Edmund wrote. «In short, the Power were convinced the Cats would have made their life hell in a negotiation for Butters. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, had shown an appetite to put forward trade scenarios.»

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Hard feelings for Port toward Geelong

Edmund also wrote that Port flatly refused to talk to the Cats over a deal for Butters as the SA club thought that the Cats’ stance on how they do deals wouldn’t have resulted in Port getting the best deal for Butters.

Also, Edmund wrote that there are still some hard feelings from Port towards the Cats for their «brazen poaching attempt» of Travis Boak.

So, Port clearly wanted nothing to do with the Cats to begin with, and when Geelong didn’t really offer any information on how the deal would be structured, but the Dogs did, that pushed Butters to the Bulldogs.

And now the Bulldogs are set to benefit, with Butters likely to land at the Kennel in the coming weeks.

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