Port Adelaide coach Josh Carr has slammed the "arrogance" of some Victorian clubs for their public commentary about Zak Butters' future.
Carr has taken particular aim at Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly for disrespecting Butters.
Kelly, in an ABC radio interview on Thursday night, declared Butters was "coming back to Victoria", and hoped he would choose to play for Collingwood.
Carr earlier this year also bristled at comments from Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge about the Dogs' chase for Butters.
"I spoke when obviously the Bevo (Beveridge) comments happened, and I don't know, I just feel like the arrogance of certain football clubs, you know, like Collingwood in particular," Carr told reporters on Friday.
"Like, he (Kelly) is a leader of their football club.
"If that's the way that they want to lead - as I've said, it's not us, it's not who we are as a football club, it's not the way we carry ourselves.
"We're a football club that respects everyone in the competition and don't put ourselves above anyone.
"And I feel like that's not the same at every football club."
Asked if Kelly's comments were disrespectful, Carr replied: "Yeah, it is.
"It's disrespectful to the competition," he said.
"I think it's disrespectful to Zak in particular. I'm sure he would be disappointed in those comments, just to throw it out there like you know what's going on.
"Again, it's it's not who we are, it's not who I am, and I think we're better than that."
Pressed if Kelly's comments were accurate, Carr said: "I wouldn't have thought so. There's still a fair bit to play out."
Butters falls off-contract at season's end and is weighing some of the richest offers in AFL history to return to his native Victoria.
The Bulldogs, Geelong, Collingwood and Richmond are considered frontrunners in the race for the dual All Australian midfielder's signature.
Butters has steadfastly maintained he won't decide his future until the end of the season, when the 156-gamer is tipped to win his fourth consecutive club champion award at Port despite being sidelined by an ankle injury suffered on July 11.
