Sam Butler is only the second, and current South son who has gone onto professional VFL-AFL footy - and most likely our greatest success story.

Sam was a promising soccer prospect but switched codes at 14 to join South's Junior Colts. He was then recruited by Central District, and later as a member of the AIS-AFL Academy he represented South Australia at under-18 level, before finishing his time at the Bulldogs in their 2003 Reserves premiership.

A medium-sized midfielder who can also play forward, Sam became the West Coast Eagles’ second pick with the 20th selection overall at the 2003 National AFL Draft. As a replacement for champion Ben Cousins, he debuted in Round 10 of 2004, averaging more than 14 possessions in nine successive matches and earning a National AFL Rising Star nomination for Round 17.

In 2005, Butler became the first South son to play in an AFL Grand Final, when his Eagles went down to the Sydney Swans for the greatest prize of all in Aussie Rules.

However in 2006, he famously then became the first Lion ever to play in an AFL premiership when West Coast reversed the fortunes of the previous year to defeat the Swans. The Lions are very proud of him.