Port coach hails special Butters ahead of milestone

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley knows it's an impossible debate.

Who has played the best first 100 games in the AFL?

Hinkley's prime midfield mover Zak Butters is poised to hit the century milestone on Friday night against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval.

"He has been pretty special for the footy club in a short period of time," Hinkley said of Butters.

"He's the vice-captain now of the football club. He's a great story, a great pick by our recruiting team who initially identified him at pick 12.

"Everything he does, from the time he's got here, it's no surprise that he's played a 'quick' 100 games.

"And it's no surprise that he's at a level now that we recognise him as one of the premier players of the competition."

Butters is averaging a career-best 28 disposals in his sixth season.

His new captain Connor Rozee, taken in the same 2018 draft, is averaging a career-best 27 disposals.

"It's hard to say there's too many that have been too much better than Zak or Connor," Hinkley said of the best-100-game debate.

"But most of the competition, these young players - I mean, gee, you've only got to look at the Harley Reid story that's coming out of West Coast.

"These really young, talented people who come through now, they do play a really high level as soon as they arrive."

Port (4-2) meet the Saints (2-4), who have lost consecutive games heading into the encounter.

"AFL footy is really so tough now that there's not a game we come into any differently," Hinkley said.

"And we don't make St Kilda out to be any different to any team we play the week after or the week before - it's just hard, you have just got to be ready to play."