Brisbane have been given a primetime Thursday night opening match at Gather Round in 2027, against co-hosts Adelaide on April 8. The round closes on Sunday night with Zak Butters facing his former club Port Adelaide, now as a Western Bulldogs player. Brisbane have won all four of their past Gather Round matches, by an average of 38.5 points. Other grudge matches include Rowan Marshall facing former club St Kilda, and Essendon meeting North Melbourne after facing Melbourne in recent years. The round is played across four days in South Australia.
The Western Bulldogs are now seen as premiership favourites for the 2027 AFL season after signing Zak Butters, provided they stay healthy. Past seasons have ended in disappointment, with injuries derailing their last push. The writer argues the club's core players will remain strong beyond 2027, but says failing to reach at least a preliminary final could raise doubts about their premiership hopes. The pressure to perform is significant, with the writer suggesting that falling short could cost jobs at the club.
Zak Butters has revealed that a conversation with Western Bulldogs list boss Michael Regan swayed his decision to join the club. Butters said Regan asked him what he wanted from football and how he hoped to be remembered. Butters said his father and grandfather both barracked for the Bulldogs, which made him feel more naturally connected to the club. He had earlier been reported to prefer Geelong. Butters, who previously played at Port Adelaide, now returns to Victoria and joins a midfield including Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards.
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Zak Butters says he considered going public with his planned move to the Western Bulldogs while still playing for Port Adelaide. The Bulldogs unveiled the midfielder at Whitten Oval after he signed as a free agent on a nine-year deal worth $2 million a season. Butters said the AFL landscape was not quite ready for such an announcement, unlike the NRL, where deals are often announced during the season. He said he could see the change being a good thing in the future.
North Melbourne has offered Nick Blakey an $11 million contract, making them favourites to sign the Sydney Swans player. Blakey has met with officials from Geelong, Gold Coast, and St Kilda, with Essendon also expressing interest. His current contract with the Swans runs through 2031. Geelong traded its first-round pick to St Kilda for ruckman Rowan Marshall and a 2028 third-round pick.
