Butters sent to Tribunal over ‘abusive and insulting’ umpire sledge

Port Adelaide star Zak Butters has been referred on to the AFL Tribunal after allegedly asking discipline umpire Nick Foot: “How a lot are they paying you?”

Butters has been charged with “abusive and insulting language in direction of an umpire” following the alternate with Foot throughout Port’s loss to St Kilda on Sunday night time.

The AFL stated the alternate was not picked up on the umpire’s microphone.

The 25-year-old defended himself after the match, saying: “I do know what I stated, and I did not say something unhealthy.”

“I would like to know the language that I stated as a result of I went as much as him [Foot] after the sport and clearly wished to have a chat, like two people do, and he stated he did not need to converse to me,” Butters informed Channel 7 after the match.

“All I stated was: ‘How is {that a} free kick?’ And he gave a 50 and stated I used to be on report … I’m curious to comply with that one up as a result of I’m by no means going to say something unhealthy to the umpire.”

Port will entrance the tribunal on Tuesday with Butters sustaining his innocence in opposition to the cost.

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Ought to Port fail on the tribunal, Butters is more likely to face one more fantastic after not too long ago reaching the $50,000 mark in monetary sanctions since making his debut in 2019.

St Kilda ahead Liam Ryan was docked $1,500 final 12 months for verbally abusing an umpire whereas taking part in for West Coast.

In 2019, former Collingwood and Carlton participant Dale Thomas was sanctioned $7,500 for calling an umpire a cheat, and Sydney veteran Dane Rampe was slapped with a $5,000 fantastic for telling an umpire he talked “like just a little woman”.

St Kilda ruck Tom De Koning was additionally handed a $1,500 fantastic — or $1,000 for an early responsible plea — for staging within the fourth quarter in opposition to Port Adelaide on Sunday.

Geelong midfielder Mark O’Connor was slapped with a one-match ban for a excessive bump on Eagles teen Willem Duursma within the second quarter of the Cats’ win at Norwood Oval.

The incident was graded as careless conduct, medium impression and excessive contact.

O’Connor will miss Geelong’s residence conflict in opposition to the fourth-placed Western Bulldogs ought to the membership settle for the cost.