Charlie Dixon needs to be swung into the ruck to help ignite his and Port Adelaide’s season

CHARLIE Dixon is struggling to recapture his 2017 form and a positional move could be the catalyst to ignite his and Port Adelaide’s season, writes Kane Cornes.

Charlie Dixon can’t evade James Frawley and Blake Hardwick in Tasmania on Saturday. Picture: AAP Image

PORT Adelaide’s loss to Hawthorn on Saturday highlighted some serious deficiencies in its game plan and skill execution.

Problems in the forward line have been exposed, with the form of key personnel lacking, most notably Charlie Dixon.

Dixon has struggled through 2018, kicking seven goals from 10 games and he is averaging only four marks per game.

Unless Dixon rediscovers his 2017 form, which saw him boot 49 goals and finish runner-up in the John Cahill Medal, the Power risk missing the finals.

There are some valid reasons for Dixon’s substandard output including him spending some time in the ruck due to Paddy Ryder’s early-season Achilles injury and some poor delivery by foot from the underperforming Port midfield.

But Dixon should be good enough to overcome these annoyances and find a way to have an impact.

Charlie Dixon has only kicked seven goals in 2018. Picture: AAP Image

Two weeks-ago on Adelaide radio coach Ken Hinkley was asked about the output of Dixon.

Hinkley responded strongly saying that any Port fan who had questioned Dixon’s impact in 2018 was ungrateful. He also added that Dixon would get a game for every club in the competition.

Hinkley’s loyalty and confidence in Dixon is admirable and there is no way the Power boss will drop him back to the SANFL to regain touch and confidence, but right now his belief in his forward doesn’t translate.

Dixon’s tally of seven majors has him ranked 97th in the AFL which is unacceptable for a 200cm, highly paid forward of his ability.

He clearly needs a circuit breaker.

Ryder has been beaten in the middle in the past fortnight and has admitted to struggling with that nagging Achilles issue.

The time is now to replace Ryder with Dixon in ruck and allow the big forward to be around the ball and play with some freedom, while also throwing his massive frame around in the midfield.

Ryder is not unaccustomed to playing as a genuine forward and he gives the Power a deep, tall target while also taking the load off his injured tendon.

He would combine nicely with Jack Watts and the recalled Todd Marshall playing higher up the ground.

Dixon’s best-on ground performance in Port’s Round 2 victory over Sydney, after being placed in the ruck at halftime, showed just how capable he can be in that position.

At the halfway point of the season the Power’s campaign is at the crossroads. Friday night’s game against reigning premier Richmond is season-defining.

The form of Charlie Dixon could be the difference, it’s time to act. Put him in the ruck.

Sydney coach John Longmire.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

Winners

1. Galloping Horse

SYDNEY coach John Longmire is into his eighth year in charge of the Swans and has qualified for the finals in each year. That trend is set to continue in 2018 with his side sitting nicely in fourth at the halfway mark of the season. What an outstanding coach.

2. Roaring

RICHMOND’S 71 point victory over Essendon on Saturday night was its 15 straight win at the MCG. They are no longer reliant on spearhead Jack Riewoldt as he only booted one of the Tigers 17 goals. They play a devastating brand of two-way football and are primed to go back-to-back in 2018.

3. Bigger than the game

85,000 fans will pack into the MCG next Monday for the Queen’s Birthday clash between third-placed Melbourne and seventh-placed Collingwood. The game is the most anticipated of the season made even more special by all 18 AFL coaches participating in the ‘Big Freeze’ to raise money for MND. Spine tingling.

4. Saving grace

AMONG talks of woeful Friday night fixtures, plummeting television ratings and blowout results, the twilight fixture between Adelaide and GWS saved a very ordinary round of football. Fierce pressure, brutal tackling and sublime skills from both sides produced one of the games of the year. Hats off.

5. Sign him up

ADELAIDE veteran Richard Douglas produced 13 score involvements in a stand-out performance against the Giants at Adelaide Oval last night. On current form the 31 year-old has at least two full seasons left in him, surely it’s time for the club to sign him up?

Brad Crouch evades Steven Motlop in last year’s preliminary final. Picture Sarah Reed

Losers

1. Worst kept secret

THREE weeks ago on Channel Seven, former Hawthorn and Gold Coast player Campbell Brown broke the story that Crow Brad Crouch was to have surgery on his troublesome groin. Despite Adelaide fiercely denying Brown’s account the club has finally confirmed that Crouch’s season has come to end as he goes under the knife.

2. Haves and have nots

WE are only halfway through the season yet the gap between the best and worst teams is colossal. Carlton, Saint Kilda, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle and Essendon are left will nothing but draft picks to jostle for in the back half of the year.

3. Missing targets

PORT Adelaide’s disposal by foot is again letting it down this season. On Saturday the Power recorded a kicking efficiency of 65 per cent by foot compared with Hawthorn’s 77%. Midfielders Brad Ebert (30%), Sam Powell-Pepper (40%), Tom Rockliff (50%), Ollie Wines (57%) and Travis Boak (60%) were the main culprits.

4. Freedom

KEN Hinkley’s decision not to tag Hawthorn’s prime mover Tom Mitchell in the first half proved costly. Mitchell had 21 disposals and two goals to be the best on the ground at halftime before Tom Rockliff held him to only seven second-half possessions.

5. Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

ALEX Rance did his best impersonation of Superman as he sucked in a gullible umpire with a blatant dive in a marking contest with Essendon’s Shaun McKernan on Saturday night. Rance is a serial offender with staging and should be punished by Match Review Officer Michael Christian.