Former MSA Student Athlete Zak Butters is set be one of six players to debut for the Port Adelaide Football Club this weekend in the Power’s season opener against  Melbourne at the MCG.

Butters was taken at pick 12 by Port Adelaide in the 2018 AFL National Draft after an injury interrupted season at the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup.  He did enough with his eight TAC cup games and his performance at the AFL Under 18 National Championships to impress the Power’s three-time club champion and four-time All-Australian, Robbie Gray.

Butters averaged 20 disposals, four tackles and four clearances for the Western Jets, and was regarded as having a high impact per disposal.

Zak displayed his class, poise, smarts and outside run during the National Championships in June and July and had planned to have surgery on a troublesome left shoulder and end his season early immediately afterwards.

Another dislocation in the deciding game against eventual champions South Australia saw the end of his season come even sooner.

We wish Zak all the best in his first game in the AFL and look forward to following him over a long career.

Check out this link on the Port Adelaide Football Club Page which filmed Zak’s call to his Dad when he told him the great news.