Daniel Butler Biography

A lingering ankle issue has Saints forward Dan Butler in a fight to be fit for round one of the 2024 season.

The 27-year-old underwent surgery after the elimination final loss to Greater Western Sydney, before requiring a cleanout in December, and is yet to train with the main group.

Jack Steele wins the Trevor Barker Award as the Saints' best and fairest for the 2020 season.

Steele's honour follows him earning maiden AFL All-Australian honours and finishing top five in the AFL Players' Association MVP and AFL Coaches' Association Champion Player of the Year.

Steele was a clear winner on 207 votes, with recruits Dan Butler (second, 126 votes), Dougal Howard (third, 122), Zak Jones (sixth, 117) and Paddy Ryder (eighth, 107) featuring prominently.

Richmond will do all it can to assist Dan Butler in landing a new home, with the Tigers aware his preferred destination lies at St Kilda for 2020.

Left out of the Tigers' 2019 flag-winning side, the 2017 premiership forward has expressed a desire to continue his career elsewhere after being starved of opportunities at Punt Road.

Dan Butler is expected to miss about a month of football after aggravating an ankle injury in Richmond's 47-point over Adelaide at the MCG.

Dan Butler says he has weekly post-game competitions with housemate Jason Castagna on who comes out on top with pressure points.

"That's the first thing I look for when I go and see 'Leppa', and that will give me a good indication of how I'm going," Butler said.

"We were having a bit of a competition about who could get the highest and we were pretty even overall."

However, teammate Daniel Rioli goes into this week's Grand Final with the most pressure points for the season among the Richmond small forwards, registering 979.7 to Butler's 897.1 and Castagna's 824.1.

"Rioli is normally beating us in it, so we don't really want to compete with him. He usually pressures a lot better than us," Butler said.

Kane Lambert and Dan Butler sign two-year deals each with the Tigers that will keep them at the club until the end of 2019.

"Both Kane and Dan have experienced great seasons in 2017 and we are pleased they have committed to the club for at least the next two years," Richmond list manager Dan Richardson said.

"Kane’s story is quite remarkable. He has worked his way up the VFL ranks, to the Rookie Draft and is now playing consistent AFL football.

"Dan has also shown great perseverance and after making his debut in round one and he has played 19 senior games this year.

"They have both taken big steps forward this season and we look forward to watching their development over the next two years."

Dan Butler is named as the 2017 NAB AFL Rising Star nominee for round 11.

Butler tallied two goals, 13 disposals, six score involvements and four inside 50s in the Tiger's win over North Melbourne.

"He's a pretty quiet kid and naturally very modest, but he does have a strong belief in himself, which is clear with the way he's come on this year," Richmond football manager Neil Balme said.

"He's also naturally very competitive, but not in an overt way – he just goes about his business.

"Being recognised in this Rising Star capacity will be a really good thing for him, to have some confidence in himself."

On the eve of his debut for the Tigers, Dan Butler admits the road to his first AFL game has been a challenge.

The Richmond half-forward has battled for two seasons to earn his first game, with repeated knee injuries in 2015 setting him back 12 months.

"It's been a long time coming … there were a few times where I was kind of in a dark place and questioned whether I was good enough to be here," Butler said.

"Form wasn't going my way but I kept working hard and results came my way.

"I've put in a fair bit of hard work the past year and it's paid off. It's a very exciting time for me and my family, and I can't wait. I'm pretty pumped for it."

Daniel Butler makes his AFL debut for Richmond at the MCG with 19 disposals (12 kicks and 7 handballs), a mark, 3 tackles and 2 goals in a 43-point win over Carlton.

Richmond sign Kane Lambert, Jake Batchelor and Dan Butler to one-year extensions.

"The club's pre-season campaign is now underway and it is fantastic to have Kane, Jake and Dan re-sign, as we set our sights firmly on season 2017," Richmond football talent manager Dan Richardson said.

"They are all hard working and determined individuals who add great value to this football club."

Dan Butler will be sidelined for up to 11 weeks after a follow-up operation on his knee.

"A little bit more needed to be done than was previously thought and he probably won't return to play until the end of the year now," Richmond football manager Dan Richardson said of Butler.

"As long as he can get back and get fit, hopefully he can get some footy into him in the latter part of the year. That would certainly be the aim."

The Tigers boost their midfield depth with the NAB AFL Draft after picking up inside midfielder Corey Ellis with their No.12 pick as well as outside midfielder Connor Menadue, the versatile Nathan Drummond and small forward Daniel Butler, who in time will also play through the middle.

"The coach was really keen to add some midfield depth to enable some players to play some different roles, and we feel we've addressed that," Tigers recruiting manager Francis Jackson said.

"They're all a little bit different in their own right.

"We're delighted with the combination. We're generally really pleased with the outcome and look forward to these boys coming to Tiger land."