PORT Adelaide has offered star midfielder Zak Butters the biggest deal in AFL history, as revealed by AFL.com.au's Cal Twomey.
On AFL.com.au's trade and draft show, Gettable, Twomey said the Power had tabled a two-year extension to the 24-year-old, with an option to extend it by a further six years in a bid to ensure Butters re-signs beyond his 2026 contract.
"If you sign this one tomorrow for the full entirety of it, it's the biggest deal in AFL history," Twomey said.
"It's the most lucrative offer that we've seen from a club. And that's really put its flag in the ground around what this guy is worth from a Port Adelaide point of view, and across the competition as well.
"Port is doing everything they can to lock him in past 2026."
Taken at pick No.12 in the 2018 draft, Butters previously signed an extension in 2023 which takes him to free agency at the end of the 2026 season.
Although the League is seeing an increase in the number of players locking in long-term deals, Twomey says this current offer gives the Power vice-captain a bit more flexibility regarding his future.
"Port Adelaide has presented short and long-term offers to extend him beyond [2026]," Twomey said.
"A two-year offer to extend him until the end of 2028 when he'll hit unrestricted free agency. And then a player option … to extend that by a further six years to the end of 2034. It's essentially an eight-year agreement and he can lock in at any point he wants across the next two years.
"This is a unique option that has put the ball purely in Butters' court."
If Butters were to alternatively consider a move, there's no denying the trade value attached to the two-time All-Australian.
With Tasmania slated to enter the League ahead of the 2028 season, clubs may want to take advantage of trading their big names for early draft picks now, as reported on Gettable earlier this year.
However, despite the wide-spread appeal, Twomey says Port Adelaide won't be considering this strategy for their midfield star.
"There's no reason for me that Port would let him go this year," Twomey said.
"The club traded out this year's first round pick via the Dan Houston deal last year and the Jack Lukosius move in that big deal. So, they're already traded out of this year.
"I doubt that a club that's already traded out would want to get picks back in for this year."
Given the flexibility of the offer, Twomey says there's no pressure for Butters to decide, but the deal proposed will be hard for the vice-captain to pass up.
"Port isn't putting any pressure on him to make the call right now," Twomey said.
"[But] it's a very, very compelling offer that they put forward and the most lucrative in history if he was to sign for that eight years at the moment.
"Putting these offers forward, [Port Adelaide has] clearly shown how much they rate him and signalled how much they value him. He's the heart and soul of the footy club."
