JOHN Butcher returned from a hip complaint on Saturday for Port Adelaide’s SANFL team - donning the famous prison bars for the first time since midway through 2011.

Butcher, who missed the last three games with a hip complaint, returned for the Magpies in the SANFL on Saturday - kicking 2.2 and playing three quarters of the match for Port Adelaide’s state league side.

It is not the first time that a Port Adelaide forward has gone back to the club’s SANFL team and flown high against the Panthers’ - Brett Ebert doing so against West Adelaide in May in a performance that helped earn his place back in the Power 22.

[ Related: Ebert soars ]

Port Adelaide’s Development Manager, Daniel Healy, was satisfied with Butcher’s first competitive hit out after a fortnight recovering and the popular tall forward certainly entertained the Port faithful with high leaping marks and strong attacking pressure.

“We were conscious of how well John could run out a game with a hip injury so the decision was made to play him for about 70% game time in the SANFL,” said Healy.

“He got through well but was cramping and pretty fatigued late in the game which justifies our decision not to play him in the AFL.”

“What he did do, especially in the first quarter, was showed that he had some movement and jumping back which is what we were worried his hip would stop him from doing.”

Read more of the development team’s reviews in this week’s SANFL Report.