Major blow for Port Adelaide with AFL superstar Zak Butters set for arthroscopic surgery

Cameron Noakes

7NEWS Sport

2 Min Read

8 hours ago

Updated

7 hours ago

Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters is expected to have a arthroscopic surgery on his knee in the coming days. Credit: Getty Images

Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters is expected to have arthroscopic surgery on his knee in the coming days.

According to 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary, the minor surgery will likely rule Butters out of — “at least” — Round 1.

The Power don’t feature in the AFL’s Opening Round, but play their first game of the 2025 season on March 15.

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That match is a blockbuster season-opener at the MCG against Collingwood.

It has been a summer of injury carnage for the AFL, and disappointed Port fans were quick to react to the Butters news.

“Probably misses the first month. Disaster for Port,” one fan said on X (formerly Twitter).

And another: “This is an epidemic for the AFL now.”

And and another: “Carnage continues.”

Port Adelaide are sweating on the fitness of Zak Butters who is battling a knee issue. Credit: Getty Images

And another: “Man, at this rate are we going to have any players at the start of the season? Don’t remember a pre-season with so many injuries.”

Butters is one of the the best players in the competition and Port will be desperately hoping the 24-year-old does not miss an extended period of time.

He joins a huge list of big-name players starting the season under an injury cloud, or already set to miss a chunk of the year.

Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale, Carlton goalkicking ace Charlie Curnow, Sydney captain Callum Mills, Bulldogs ball-magnet Adam Treloar, Collingwood wrecking ball Jordan de Goey, gun Essendon mid Darcy Parish, GWS Giants bull Tom Green, St Kilda ruck Rowan Marshall, and West Coast veterans Dom Sheed (season) and Elliot Yeo are just some of the stars already on the monster AFL injury list for the 2025 season.

As for Port, they already need to cover the early-season absences of key defenders Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher. And they have also lost key forward Todd Marshall for the season with an Achilles injury.

The Power play Collingwood, Richmond (home), Essendon, then St Kilda (home) to start their season.

It shapes as a massive year for the club after it confirmed at the start of February that much-loved coach Ken Hinkley would lead the Power for a 13th and final season before passing the baton to senior assistant Josh Carr.