JOHN Butcher, Port Adelaide’s first selection at the NAB AFL National Draft in 2009, is set to debut in the SANFL seniors this weekend for the Port Magpies at Alberton against North Adelaide.
Butcher, selected by the Power as the #8 pick in last year’s draft, was rated highly as a key position prospect throughout his junior career, but his first year on an AFL list was waylaid by a back injury that saw him placed on the long term injury list.
Butcher resumed with the Port Magpies reserves side in Round 15, and has slowly been building up game time and form since then. Port Adelaide development coach Garry ‘Buddha’ Hocking declared that his impending debut in the SANFL seniors was a real reward for effort.
“It’s a tremendous chance for John to really finish a challenging year on a high,” he said. “He’s worked really hard to get to this point and now it’s up to him to make the most of the opportunity.
“His form has been getting better every week, so it’s going to be exciting to see what he can do as the year comes toward a close.”
The final home and away round in the SANFL will see several Power-listed players plying their wares for their respective clubs, with Daniel Motlop appearing for North Adelaide against Butcher’s Magpies, Jarrad Redden named on the bench for Woodville-West Torrens, and both Jason Davenport and Matthew Lobbe named in the starting side for West Adelaide.
