Former Port Adelaide assistant Chad Cornes predicts Zak Butters to be at the Western Bulldogs in 2027

Former Port Adelaide assistant coach Chad Cornes think Power superstar Zak Butters will be at the Western Bulldogs in 2027.

Butters is the biggest amongst a host of star names to be coming out of contract at the end of next year and his AFL future has already been the subject of fierce speculation.

The Victorian is widely considered to be in a handful of the very best players in the game, and would attract close to $2 million per season as a free agent on the open market.

Port Adelaide are desperate to re-sign the champion 25-year-old, who may not have even hit his peak yet, despite winning the past three consecutive club best and fairests, two All-Australian jackets, and the AFL Coaches’ Association champion player of the year award in 2023.

Cornes is a legendary player with the Power and has served as an assistant coach at the club since 2015 — which encompasses the entire career of Butters — but was sacked by the club at the end of 2025 as new coach Josh Carr takes over a new era.

Joining his brother Kane on radio ahead of next year, Chad admitted he thinks Butters is unlikely to stay at Alberton.

“I love ‘Buttsy’, he’s such a great guy, I was listening to you guys speak about him earlier this morning,” Cornes told SEN on Friday.

“If you had to make a prediction, I think he goes (to another club) this time next year.

“And I would be saying he loves the Bulldogs; just a real hard-core Bulldogs supporter before he got drafted. So, I don’t want to make a big call too early...”

Earlier this month, Butters was spotted playing golf with two Essendon players in the same week he was in Melbourne training with Carlton development coach Torin Baker, who was the AFL superstar’s coach as a junior at the Western Jets.

He played a round at the prestigious The National Golf Club on Victoria’s Morning Peninsula, along with manager Peter Lenton and star Bombers Darcy Parish and Sam Durham. Durham is also managed by Lenton.

7NEWS captured images of the quartet as they finished their round on the Gunnamatta Course.

When asked by 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary if Port Adelaide fans should be worried, Butters said: “Shouldn’t be worried at all, it’s a good golf course.”

He then reaffirmed his commitment to the Power: “I’m playing at Port next year, so I’m not going to comment.”

Butters has had a lucrative contract offer on the table for much of 2025 to re-sign long-term with the Power. It is one that he is yet to entertain and won’t be doing so anytime soon.

It won’t stop the Power throwing the kitchen sink at retaining him, and they’ll have 12 months to play every loyalty card to convince him his future is at Alberton.

The Western Bulldogs have held the strongest and longest interest in winning his signature.

They’d be prepared to offer upwards of $1.7 million a season over at least eight years if Butters was keen.

Butters has had contact with Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli, who earlier this year re-signed at the Kennel for four seasons.

“He’s (Butters) got a big decision on his mind, and I hope we’re in the situation and the football club looks potentially like a place he could see himself,” Bontempelli told 7NEWS in July.

“If we happen to end up in the same team, I’d be pretty happy about that too.”

Earlier this month, list manager Jason Cripps said Butters was “100 per cent” committed to the club.

“We want Zak to be at the club for the next 10 years, and that will be our sole focus at the right time,” Cripps said.

“Zak’s really happy, 100 per cent committed to the club and a super important player for our future.

“Zak has never broached the idea of being traded.

“We’ve had ongoing discussions with Zak and his management group ... as we do with all our players, in particular our interstate players, over the journey.

“We’ll continue to have those discussions with those players, but as I said, Zak is 100 per cent committed and happy at the club.”