Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters has avoided a suspension and adding to his record fines collection, keeping him in Brownlow Medal contention.
Butters collided with Western Bulldogs midfielder Joel Freijah in the final quarter of the Power’s thrilling two-point defeat at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
The highly-sought after free agent who is in the sights of the Bulldogs elected to bump, but Freijah got up and played out the match.
Match review officer Michael Christian cleared Butters of any wrongdoing.
“Freijah gets hands to a high handball that goes over his head whilst Butters approaches from side on,” Christian wrote in a statement..
“As Freijah lands, Butters elects to bump, making body contact with Freijah.
“Based on all available evidence, it was the view of the MRO that any high contact to Freijah was negligible and as a result, Butters’ actions did not constitute a reportable offence.”
Bulldogs star Ed Richards was fined for making careless contact with an umpire in the only reportable incident from that match.
In the other Friday night contest, Brisbane Lions pair Levi Ashcroft and Conor McKenna received fines, while Carlton ace Sam Walsh was penalised $1500 for striking Ashcroft.
