Port Adelaide dynamo Zak Butters insists he will overcome a trial game injury and be fit for his club’s AFL premiership season opener.
Butters sprained an ankle in the Power’s 39-point win over Fremantle in Friday night’s practice game at Alberton Oval.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Port Adelaide sweating on sprained ankle of Zak Butters.
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Butters, among the competition’s best midfielders, rolled his right ankle 10 minutes in to Port’s 13.14 (92) to 8.5 (53) victory.
The brilliant on-baller went to push off his right leg but rolled his ankle without any contact from an opponent.
“It was a bit silly of me, I just happened to roll it by myself running,” Butters said after the incident.
“It’s a couple of weeks before we play our first (premiership season) game … so plenty of time to rest it.”
Port open their campaign against West Coast on March 17.
“It is a simple rolled ankle and you’d be very surprised if he’s not available for Round 1,” Port coach Ken Hinkley told reporters.
The 23-year-old playmaker’s injury took some gloss off a polished performance by the Power.
Port’s new captain Connor Rozee (26 disposals, one goal, seven tackles) and halfbacks Ryan Burton (30 touches, 13 marks) and Dan Houston (26 possessions) were superb while Willie Rioli kicked three goals.
The Power’s new-look defence, featuring recruits Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (nine marks) and Esava Ratugolea (eight marks), was also miserly.
Fremantle veteran Nat Fyfe, relishing his return to the midfield, producing a stellar 10-disposal opening term and finished with 26 touches and five clearances.
Fyfe’s on-ball colleague Hayden Young was a stand-out with two goals and 26 possessions, Caleb Serong gathered 29 touches and stalwart Michael Walters kicked two majors.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir described the game as a “wake-up call”.
“We will take a lot from that,” Longmuir told reporters.
“There are some good lessons before the season starts.
“We weren’t decisive when the pressure came on and those lessons can really only be learned when you play an opposition.
“So to have that sort of challenge now and get a bit of a gauge of where we’re at now should really drive us over the next two weeks before Round 1.”
Despite Fyfe’s early brilliance, the Power led by one point at quarter-time before kicking goals to one in a slick 14-minute burst in the second term to create a 26-point break.
A pair of snapped goals from Freo’s Young helped reduce their deficit to 14 points at halftime.
But Port accelerated again in the third term, scoring 4.6 and keeping the Dockers — who rested influential lead ruckman Sean Darcy for the last half — scoreless.
Port advanced to a 44-point lead at three quarter-time and were outscored three goals to two in the last term.