Port Adelaide midfielder Zak Butters has dismissed rumors that he intends to leave the club at the end of the current AFL season, despite interest from several Victorian teams.

Reports emerged following the club’s mid-season bye suggesting that Butters, a restricted free agent, had informed some teammates of plans to return to his home state next year. Clubs including the Western Bulldogs, Richmond, and Geelong reportedly are monitoring the Power star’s situation closely.

Acting captain Travis Boak acknowledged after Saturday night’s Showdown victory that he had wondered if the match might be Butters’ last against rivals Adelaide. However, Butters strongly refuted the speculation, telling Fox Footy, “That hasn’t happened.”

The 25-year-old, who was awarded best-on-ground honors with 37 disposals and 13 clearances in Port’s 26-point upset victory, expressed a strong attachment to the club and a desire to remain a one-club player. Since being drafted in 2018, Butters has played 154 games for the Power.

“I’ve loved my time at the club and coming to the club every day,” he said. “Growing up, I played with my junior club (Darley) the whole way through and, post-AFL, I’ll probably only ever play for them.” He added that his remarks following the game reflected his gratitude for playing in Showdowns and representing Port Adelaide.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge had recently highlighted the potential appeal of recruiting Butters, noting the player’s boyhood support for the club. Still, Butters emphasized the loyalty exemplified by teammates like Travis Boak, Ollie Wines, Robbie Gray, and Justin Westhoff.

Describing Saturday’s win as one of the best during his eight seasons at Alberton, Butters acknowledged the challenge of blocking out external doubt, including widespread predictions against his injury-affected team. “You live in Adelaide, you’re going to see some stuff,” he said. “My message before the game was … mainly about us, our fans, what they’d done for us, and us being united.”

Port Adelaide coach Josh Carr confirmed the club respects Butters’ position and will support him through any forthcoming decisions regarding his future beyond the current campaign.