Player Watch Pick #12 (2018) - Zak Butters

[PAFC18]

I have seen plenty of cases where my patients have cracked ribs but they could not be seen on X-ray. Better off having a dexa scan which would show increased signals of bone uptake which is a sign of a fracture.

The Butters injury appears fairly obvious that it occurred at the end of the Freo game. My gripe with this is why wasn't he even listed on the injury report? Not only has the Club mismanaged an injury (AGAIN), there are serious issues with not reporting an injured player considering the amount of money that is waged with the various betting companies.

In this instance the bookies won't mind because they would have cleaned up given Geelong won - but if the shoe was on the other foot they'd be rightly livid.

Not to argue semantics but a DEXA scan checks for osteoporosis and rib fractures would not be identified. A bone scan (Nuclear Medicine) or CT would do the job better than an x-ray for ribs.

 

[Ported]

There was a point where he kicked the ball forward and a Geelong player sniped him late right in the chest.

That's what I thought, but looking again looks like he was tackled and kinda dumped into the turf, which is what might have made the ribs flare up. Which indicates to me it was from last week.

Hard to know for sure

 

[Willsy10]

No he plays. This is an elimination final ffs.

I suspect he went off because they feared there might’ve been a break and another petracca or finlayson situation.

If there is no structural or internal damage and it’s just pain that he is dealing with then harden the f*ck up and get on with it. Would make a mockery of the most courageous afl player awards if he backs out of this game because he is too sore.


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[Chewy316]

Not to argue semantics but a DEXA scan checks for osteoporosis and rib fractures would not be identified. A bone scan (Nuclear Medicine) or CT would do the job better than an x-ray for ribs.

Sorry that's the one - I meant to say bone scan but had a few patients with dexa scans at work today so it must have been on my mind instead!
Been a long day at work - total shitshow when you bring your 2 and a half year old and 8 month old because grandma was sick and couldn't babysit

 

[Scodges]

I’d have rested our top 5 against Freo and that included Butters, top 2 spot or not. We had top 4 sown up anyway.


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[Powerage]

I’d have rested our top 5 against Freo and that included Butters, top 2 spot or not. We had top 4 sown up anyway.


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Well there is a bye now between the minor round and finals. Traditionally it is seen as an advantage to virtually guarantee yourself two home finals (yer that is a joke looking at Port's AO history). The minute a top two finish was beyond doubt players should have been dragged and rested.

I love Zak's competitiveness and courage but there is no doubt he needs to dial it down a notch and focus on the game. He unnecessarily makes himself a target and puts himself in danger of suspension at times with acts off the ball and mouthing off. If he was built like Ollie Wines then there is less chance he would be hurt by retaliatory acts but he obviously is not.

 

[Willsy10]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but at the time I thought it was terrific that we played hard to the end against freo, if we rested players or went in with the mindset of taking it easy we probably would’ve lost that game by more than the 20 odd points to keep us in the top 2.

The QF result that followed makes it all seem pointless now but I’m still not sure changing our approach to that freo game would’ve made much difference to what happened on Thursday.

What I find truly baffling is our effort and intensity in the showdown and the freo game were head and shoulders above what we showed in the QF. It’s actually crazy. Why? I really want to know why this happens, it’s been something I’ve struggled to accept since Thursday is the complete lack of effort In a final ffs.

Butters had an excuse but I’m now worried even he caught the disease off the rest of the playing group and decided to raise the white flag far too soon on Thursday.






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[PeacefulWarrior]

Has a bit of downhill skier about him.

Yet to tear open a final. Disappointing.

 

[dirty2]

Sorry that's the one - I meant to say bone scan but had a few patients with dexa scans at work today so it must have been on my mind instead!
Been a long day at work - total shitshow when you bring your 2 and a half year old and 8 month old because grandma was sick and couldn't babysit

Board members work real jobs as well?

 

[Jojay]

Has a bit of downhill skier about him.

Yet to tear open a final. Disappointing.

Really? Down hill skier??

Try elite level sport (a final, no less) with a rib injury. Actually, strike that. Just try taking a normal breath with a rib injury.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Really? Down hill skier??

Try elite level sport (a final, no less) with a rib injury. Actually, strike that. Just try taking a normal breath with a rib injury.

I’m not talking about this game, I’m talking about his history in big games.

I love Zac, but he doesn’t have the runs on the board when it matters most unfortunately

 

[Rash]

Has a bit of downhill skier about him.

Yet to tear open a final. Disappointing.

low sample size mate, 2 finals whilst being a midfielder and our best player.

first final last year played decent
second final he played average
third final doesnt count due to ribs and subbed
the showdonw was like a finals game, he dominated and put us on his back

low sample size in finals

 

[Peninsula Boy]

How injured was Butters to start the game?

He didn't play his usual way and seemed to sub himself off and not bother with the doctor which shows he was not fit to play.

Is this another rehash of playing an injured player so Hinkley has a chance of winning over resting his injury for the sake of the player like Connor earlier in the year?

IIRC, at the start of the 2nd, I think Max Holmes who has BOG got a centre clearance and Butters struggled to run with him it looked like because of his ribs and then the footballer came in and then he put on the jets but Holmes was too fast. I don't think he did much after that.

 

[Nemisis]

Really? Down hill skier??

Try elite level sport (a final, no less) with a rib injury. Actually, strike that. Just try taking a normal breath with a rib injury.

I've had cracked ribs twice. The pain is excruciating. Just breathing was a struggle. The pain lasted for 4 weeks to the day and then disappeared. Hopefully Butters is nearing the 4 weeks mark. We need you Zak.

 

[simba_]

we'll trade him one day anyway

 

[Portology]

How injured was Butters to start the game?

He didn't play his usual way and seemed to sub himself off and not bother with the doctor which shows he was not fit to play.

Is this another rehash of playing an injured player so Hinkley has a chance of winning over resting his injury for the sake of the player like Connor earlier in the year?

IIRC, at the start of the 2nd, I think Max Holmes who has BOG got a centre clearance and Butters struggled to run with him it looked like because of his ribs and then the footballer came in and then he put on the jets but Holmes was too fast. I don't think he did much after that.

Yeah like the infamous Rozee dice roll it seems Butters should not have played.

[ Sidebar: think about how often we see that level of fail from other clubs as you peer under my tin foil hat below ]

Tin foil hat alert: IMO it's more complicated than "chance of winning" with Hinkley. He only plays 4D chess at career-saving times, and he's only up against against the intellectual midgetry of Koch and Co. At times, usually after bad finals losses, so "not uncommonly", I do wonder if Ken would rather plan to save his career than plan to get the club a flag.

Say Butters drops out last week, Ken has a bit of an out for a respectable loss but not for a shameful one. A Butters that doesn't play the QF is cherry ripe for a semi-final so it's all on Ken then if we go our in straight sets in that hypothetical. But "finals are scary" Ken says, possibly because of the risks inherent in his one and only game plan, he actually seems to fear a bad loss more than he enjoys a really courageous win, therefore Butters must be risked in the QF.

Butters plays and we win -> he and Ken are brave risk takers even if Butters is too busted up to make the prelim, setting us up, building us up to yet another excuse wrapped prelim failure. Or Butters plays, we win, he's 100% for the prelim, how does gambler Ken truly see the odds on that outcome and where does he place his bets? On himself or on the club?

As it happened, Butters played, was visibly restricted, we lost badly -> Ken gets to roll the dice again, this time with more smoke and mirrors re Butters. If we lose, Ken's "we wuz too banged up to compete, don't sack me" schtick is prepped and demonstrated by his use of Butters. Even if we win the semi final and Butters is too banged up for a prelim Ken just gets to let his pre-masticated excuse fester in the bowels of the sycophants and the easily-fooled for another week.

In each hypothetical, it feels like "saving Ken's privates" takes or would have taken priority over getting us a flag.

The nicest spin I could put, taking out admittedly anger-fed pure speculation about his motivations, is that Ken played selection like the only game plan he ever had: push everyone up as far as possible to the point of bluffing and hope for the best. And we know how far that has taken us in finals.

 

[Rash]

 

[Chrizzt]

I’m not talking about this game, I’m talking about his history in big games.

I love Zac, but he doesn’t have the runs on the board when it matters most unfortunately

Yeah he hasn't done it in a final which is concerning (apart from maybe the Lions QF last year), but he has had some great performances in big games: against the Dogs, Lions, Cats, and both Showdowns this year - so I'm willing to cut him a bit more slack than Rozee for example.

 

[Rash]

looks like hes playing

 

[Rash]

 

[simba_]

he will play, maybe start on the bench, you would prefer him to start as a sign of strength. the hawks might target him but we've had the balls to protect teammates recently so they better step up and be assertive here where it counts most

 

[b0ydman Jr]

looks like hes playing

On the Couch said he's no certainty to play, I guess we'll find out tomorrow

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

he will play, maybe start on the bench, you would prefer him to start as a sign of strength. the hawks might target him but we've had the balls to protect teammates recently so they better step up and be assertive here where it counts most

You’d recon those unsociable hawks will test those ribs at any chance they can

Why wouldn’t you.

 

[bomberclifford]

What's this talk that Caro and Cornes alluded to that Butters coming off had something to do with anxiety?

 

[RangaInTeal]

If he plays this week we are dumb. You can’t carry blokes in finals!