Miles Bergman and Zak Butters during the round 16 match between Port Adelaide and Carlton at Adelaide Oval, June 26, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

PORT Adelaide's Miles Bergman and Zak Butters may have Victorian clubs trying to lure them back home, but their manager, John Meesen, is adamant the young stars are invested in the Power's future. 

In June, AFL.com.au's Cal Twomey reported that "nearly every club in Victoria" was chasing Bergman, but the midfielder turned his back on rival interest and penned a two-year deal, taking him through to free agency.

Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable, Meesen from Kapital Sports Group, re-affirmed that Bergman and Butters are both committed to their club.

"[Bergman] pretty much just communicated back to me that Port's where he wanted to be," Meesen told Gettable.

"He loves the footy club, loves the environment there and he's really investing into what they're doing on field, and the off field support he's received has been outstanding from the club.

25:32

"Like the other times he's come out of contract, he's probably just waited and just got information and just wanted to be 100 per cent sure in his mind that his decision is correct.

"It was [intense], but our communication with clubs was pretty straightforward. We were pretty clear that in his own mind, he had to come to a decision on what he wanted to do."

With the deal only taking him through to his free-agency year in 2027, it's likely a race for the star will re-ignite in 18 months' time.

Meesen confirmed the interest from Victorian clubs is strong, and will be revisited when the time comes.

Miles Bergman celebrates during the round 18 match between Port Adelaide and West Coast at Adelaide Oval, July 13, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

"I was always confident that should he want to come home, there would be a market for him and a healthy market," Meesen said.

"There was a little bit of interest from some clubs, it's fair to say, if he wanted to return home, but he made a smart decision, I think, to re-sign for two and revisit again in a couple of years."

Meesen also weighed in on Zak Butters' future following growing anticipation the All-Australian could be convinced to return home to Victoria ahead of his 2026 contract ending.

Zak Butters runs with the ball during the match between Port Adelaide and West Coast at Adelaide Oval in round 18, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

As previously reported on AFL.com.au, he has been offered a two-year extension by Port Adelaide, plus a player option to extend it by a further six years, but is yet to put pen to paper.

Meesen says that for the foreseeable future, there will be no movement from Butters ahead of 2026.

"No, he won't be [going anywhere]." Meesen said.

"And I understand that he's a player of interest in the media landscape and to other clubs, but we've been really clear with our communication to clubs that Zak is contracted and he'll be playing at Port in 2026."