PORT Adelaide star Zak Butters has claimed an unwanted record.
With his two financial sanctions stemming from the Match Review over the weekend, the 'Butters Bill' soared to $36,250 and made the diminutive Power midfielder the most fined player in V/AFL history.
As revealed by AFL.com.au last month, Butters had been edging closer to becoming just the second player to total $30,00 worth of AFL fines but Greater Western Sydney's captain Toby Greene had remained on top at $35,600.
However, Butters was told by the Match Review on Sunday evening he can accept a $5000 fine for a rough conduct charge on Richmond's James Trezise and another $1875 fine for a second charge of making careless conduct with an umpire.
Should he accept the early pleas, it would mean Butters has now been found guilty by the Match Review Office on 16 occasions throughout his 111-game career totalling the whopping $36,250 in fines and two matches worth of suspensions.
Greene recently equalled David Rhys-Jones' record as the most sanctioned player in V/AFL history when he copped his 25th Match Review charge, with the Giants skipper totalling $35,600 in fines and 15 games worth of bans.
THE BUTTERS BILL
Charges: 17
Guilty: 16
Suspensions: 2 matches
Fines: $36,250
R3, 2019: Just three games into his AFL career and was lucky to escape with a $2000 fine after a late bump on Brisbane's Hugh McCluggage, who was running back with the flight. The incident was graded as careless conduct, with low impact to the head.
R8, 2020: Copped a $1000 rough conduct fine for electing to bump a former teammate in St Kilda's Paddy Ryder, who was sandwiched between Butters and Peter Ladhams. The incident was graded as careless conduct, with low impact to the head.
R13, 2020: Whacked with a $500 fine for being involved in a melee during the side's narrow victory over Hawthorn.
R16, 2020: Hit with the first and only suspension of his career after forcefully catching North Melbourne's Jy Simpkin with a high bump, leaving him dazed. He chose to accept his two-match ban, after the incident was graded as careless conduct, with high impact to the head.
PF, 2020: Was charged with forceful front-on contact and hit with a $1500 fine after collecting Jack Riewoldt with a hip to the head, as the Richmond forward bent down to pick up the footy. Was assessed as careless conduct, with low impact and high contact.
R22, 2021: It was an expensive afternoon against Carlton, as Butters was nabbed twice. The first incident saw him catch Nic Newman with a blow to the stomach, as the Blues defender was attempting to tackle teammate Miles Bergman. Slapped with a $2000 fine after the incident was graded as careless conduct, with low impact to the body.
R22, 2021: The second of his striking charges from the same game. This time he appeared to whack Adam Saad over the shoulder as he was kicking late in the match. Was handed a $2000 fine for his action after it was graded as careless conduct, with low impact and high contact.
R20, 2022: Slapped with a $1000 fine for being involved in a melee during Port Adelaide's narrow six-point defeat to Collingwood.
R23, 2023: Hit with another fine, this time worth $1000 for making careless contact with an umpire during Port Adelaide's victory over Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
QF, 2023: Was involved in two heated spats with Dayne Zorko during a qualifying final loss in 2023. The first incident saw him charged with rough conduct, having rammed into the back of his Brisbane counterpart behind play. The incident was graded as intentional conduct, with low impact to the body and resulted in a $2000 fine.
QF, 2023: The first flashpoint between these two came in the opening quarter, but Butters was also fined again for a tummy tap on Zorko late in the match. It earned the Port Adelaide man another $2000 fine after the incident was graded as intentional conduct, with low impact to the body.
R11, 2024: One of two players, alongside Jack Ginnivan, to be hit with a $1875 fine for engaging in a melee during Port Adelaide's thrilling late win over Hawthorn. The first of two charges during this game.
R11, 2024: Copped a massive $10,000 fine – reduced to $6250 – for a third offence after a rough conduct charge on Lloyd Meek. He floored the Hawthorn ruck with a bump off the ball which was graded by the Match Review as intentional conduct, with low impact to the body.
R14, 2024: He was offered a one-match ban for a jab to the jaw of Greater Western Sydney midfielder Tom Green behind play. However, he appealed at the AFL Tribunal where Port Adelaide was able to successfully argue that the force was not sufficient enough to justify the Match Review's grading of 'low impact'. The charge was subsequently thrown out and he was free to play the following week.
R15, 2024: Having hit the third offence threshold already, Butters was offered another $10,000 fine – again downgraded to $6250 with an early guilty plea – after appearing to strike Brisbane's Jarrod Berry to the midriff in an off-the-ball incident right on half-time. It was graded by the Match Review as intentional conduct, with low impact to the body.
R19, 2024: Butters was hit by a double-fine against Richmond, starting with a $7500 sanction – reduced to $5000 with an early plea – for dropping an unaware James Trezise with a hefty bump a few metres from the play. The incident was graded by the Match Review as careless conduct, with low impact to the body.
R19, 2024: Butters was also fined another $1875 for making careless contact with an umpire. It was his second charge of this description for the season, while it was this fine that saw him rocket past Toby Greene as the most fined player in V/AFL history.
