I originally thought the loss of Petracca would hurt us badly and to a minor degree Oliver would do the same. With a new game plan we have we have re invigorated and found half decent players probably at at smaller cost. Sharp, Culley, Latrelle and Tholstrup have been a breath of fresh air. Michochek and Steele have been great finds. Our crop of young players in Windsor, Lindsay and Langford are good competitors. Gawn and Pickett wow. We could do with another decent midfielder but not at a huge cost. Another Luke Jackson would be the icing on the cake. NO to Butters NO to Humphries.

Hard to see us even going close to matching Richmond's offer anyway (if it came down to $$$$'s only)

Apart from the cap space availability, would we want to commit to that sort of dosh?

Edited April 8Apr 8 by Macca

There is no world where Butters moves the premiership needle for Richmond, it makes no sense.

Nothing insightful to add but Butters looks like the type who bit his classmates

33 minutes ago, deegirl said:

Nothing insightful to add but Butters looks like the type who bit his classmates

He was a Bulldog growing up...

5 hours ago, Flagdees said:

They will get a whole of a lot more for butters trading then not matching it getting say a pick 4

With who? Butters wants to go to a team in a premiership window they don't have early picks.

11 hours ago, Macca said:

I'd take the 3 picks in the top 15 (the equivalent of what we got for Petracca) And Port's compensation pick might go as high as #10

Remembering that a top end pick on its own could be a bust anyway. Drafting can be flawed so playing the numbers game can be a better alternative

You end up with nothing if the 1 compensation pick is a bust. A bust for Butters? No thanks (says Port)

I did a 10 year study of top 5 picks back here a number of years ago and started a thread about it

In that 10 year stretch only 14 of the 50 picks were B+ or better

Happy to give JT the 3 picks though. He seems to know what he is doing

11 hours ago, Macca said:

I'd take the 3 picks in the top 15 (the equivalent of what we got for Petracca) And Port's compensation pick might go as high as #10

Remembering that a top end pick on its own could be a bust anyway. Drafting can be flawed so playing the numbers game can be a better alternative

You end up with nothing if the 1 compensation pick is a bust. A bust for Butters? No thanks (says Port)

I did a 10 year study of top 5 picks back here a number of years ago and started a thread about it

In that 10 year stretch only 14 of the 50 picks were B+ or better

Happy to give JT the 3 picks though. He seems to know what he is doing

I disagree of course they could be a bust but you back your recruiters in. I'd rather have pick 5 for Petracca than pick 11, 12 and whatever Gold Coast's pick is this year. We didn't have that option unfortunately.

17 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

With who? Butters wants to go to a team in a premiership window they don't have early picks.

17 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

With who? Butters wants to go to a team in a premiership window they don't have early picks.

The package there looking it would be around 4 firsts or 3 firsts and a good player, I’m sure they would much rather that then a pick 5 in yet again another early compromised draft

I really hope he just stays with Port to be honest.

Sparrow’s an unrestricted free agent Gerard

7 minutes ago, Greg Schneider said:

Sparrow’s an unrestricted free agent Gerard

He’s an RFA, and Port have come out and said that they’ll match any RFA offer. The only chance of getting him would be via trade.

2 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

He’s an RFA, and Port have come out and said that they’ll match any RFA offer. The only chance of getting him would be via trade.

I said Sparrow’s an unrestricted free agent not Zak. Gerard suggest Sparrow and two first rounders for Butters, that obviously wouldn’t work

On 08/04/2026 at 19:52, deegirl said:

Nothing insightful to add but Butters looks like the type who bit his classmates

i'd prefer it if we had a 'no biters (butters)' policy personally. heard some unsavoury stories about Zak from his younger days. get humphrey to play with his best mate and get another young mid in. and maybe a tall defender. not interestesd in butters.

13 minutes ago, Mt. Dee-Maaan said:

i'd prefer it if we had a 'no biters (butters)' policy personally. heard some unsavoury stories about Zak from his younger days. get humphrey to play with his best mate and get another young mid in. and maybe a tall defender. not interestesd in butters.

Mate please

I was at a function on Thursday night at the Dogs Swans game and some pretty serious Dogs people think the race is run and he’ll be a Dog in 2027.

5 minutes ago, JJJ said:

I was at a function on Thursday night at the Dogs Swans game and some pretty serious Dogs people think the race is run and he’ll be a Dog in 2027.

in fairness, that's been the general vibe for the last 12-18 months

4 minutes ago, JJJ said:

I was at a function on Thursday night at the Dogs Swans game and some pretty serious Dogs people think the race is run and he’ll be a Dog in 2027.

Seems to be heading that way, but I wonder what appetite Port would have to deal with them if another club with better assets got involved?

Using us as an example - we’ve got two first round picks and Port may potentially think our futures are worth more too. Do they say to Butters we’ll help to get home but it will be to the highest bidder?

Will be curious to see how it unfolds

Man, if we could land Butters our midfield starting trio of Steele, Butters and K. Pickett would be absolutely insane. Rivers, Windsor and Langford also rotating through?

We have also seen with the advancement of player longevity via sports science and players becoming more and more professional, Steele at 30 years of age is still really young. He has shown no signs of slowing down in terms of his tackling and ball hunting ability. I’ve no doubt he can play at a high level for another 3 years.

While Koz is an elite match winning mid, he isn’t a contested ball winning midfielder. Butters coming in would not only provide balance to our contested ball winning stocks, but he has also demonstrated he can be just as damaging as Pickett in terms of scoreboard impact- whether it be goals or assists.

Would hate to see Sparrow leave, but if he does become part of the package, the club has to get it done. Butters fits our profile to a tee.

Not entirely butters related but whats everyones thoughts on bergman compared to say rivers, the same player? or is bergman a better user? if rivers was to leave for WA would bergman whos form has fallen off a cliff this year after an impressive start as a CBA mid at port last year be a suitable get, only signed for 2yrs on his last deal and has repeatedly fielded and considered vic offers, given its a sinking ship at the pear could he be the sneaky target as that HB/ kicking mid

58 minutes ago, Turner said:

Not entirely butters related but whats everyones thoughts on bergman compared to say rivers, the same player? or is bergman a better user? if rivers was to leave for WA would bergman whos form has fallen off a cliff this year after an impressive start as a CBA mid at port last year be a suitable get, only signed for 2yrs on his last deal and has repeatedly fielded and considered vic offers, given its a sinking ship at the pear could he be the sneaky target as that HB/ kicking mid

bergman is a better kick imo

both half-backs, not mids

2 hours ago, JJJ said:

I was at a function on Thursday night at the Dogs Swans game and some pretty serious Dogs people think the race is run and he’ll be a Dog in 2027.

Tell them they are dreaming not the way they are playing.

2 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

in fairness, that's been the general vibe for the last 12-18 months

It will be to one of the in form teams. Bulldogs aren't one of them and they are getting worse would be amazed if he picked the Bulldogs.

On 09/04/2026 at 15:40, Flagdees said:

The package there looking it would be around 4 firsts or 3 firsts and a good player, I’m sure they would much rather that then a pick 5 in yet again another early compromised draft

Why would a good player go to Port they will be a basket case without Butters.

54 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

It will be to one of the in form teams. Bulldogs aren't one of them and they are getting worse would be amazed if he picked the Bulldogs.

Prepare to be amazed.

Darcy, Bont, English, Butters. Doesn't get much better.