Dixon eyes return after long lay-off
HE wasn’t able to be the hometown hero at Cazalys Stadium, but Port Adelaide’s Charlie Dixon was happy to be in Cairns as his return to playing verges on the horizon.
The 31-year-old joined his team for its one-point slippery stunner over St Kilda at a steamy Cazalys Stadium, but has not played a game so far this season due to injury.
A training mishap in January led to ankle surgery, but a setback last week means he may not return to the field for another month.
While able to train in his home town, Dixon was upset he missed the game.
“I was a bit devastated really that I couldn’t play in the game on my home deck really, where I grew up playing,” Dixon said.
“But I was lucky to get a training session in and it’s all good – I’m happy just to be up here to be honest.”
Dixon was born in Cairns, and after playing basketball as a youngster, he started playing footy at Redlynch Lions as a 13-year-old. He then moved to Cairns Saints – with whom he played his first senior AFL Cairns grand final as a 17-year-old.
He started his AFL career at the Gold Coast, with whom he played against Western Bulldogs in Cairns in 2010,
and had 65 games in five seasons before joining the Power in 2016. It’s where he’s since made his home, finishing as the club’s leading goalkicker three times (2017, ’20, ’21).
But the former Saints junior is no stranger to injuries during his solid AFL career.
Dixon’s broken leg in round 21 of 2018 will go down as one of the more excruciating sights on the field in recent history, a broken fibula ending his season and restricting his 2019 campaign to just nine appearances.
He hit his straps in 2020, the key forward belting 32 goals to finish runner up in the Coleman Medal race and earn All-Australian selection.
After playing every game of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Dixon is chomping at the bit to return to action, and he anticipates that is not far off.
“It’s not a whole lot I haven’t been through before so I’ve been able to go off my previous surgeries because I have had a lot,” he said.
“It’s really responded well after the second surgery which was a clean out so that was really good.
“I look to train in the main group next week and build from there.”
Port Adelaide did not arrive in Far North Queensland until Friday night, just 24 hours before the game due to limited flights in a situation
Dixon described as an ‘absolute s**t show’ on radio.
Virgin, the AFL’s airline sponsor, does not have direct flights from Adelaide to Cairns forcing a stopover in Sydney on the way. They were not able to book a flight with competitor Jetstar.
Upon arrival, both the Power and the Saints were greeted by the humid rain of the tropics – something Dixon is no stranger to.
“The weather’s been what I’m used to from living here,” he said.
The former Cairns State High School student departed the tropics on Monday after spending some rare time with his family.