Charlie Dixon will play in Port Adelaide intraclub match after recovering from ankle surgery

GIANT Port Adelaide forward Charlie Dixon hopes radical surgery will help keep him on the park and enable him to justify his lofty $3.5 million price tag.

Port Adelaide forward Charlie Dixon with junior Power fans Ellie and Maicey Hughes in Berri today. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

GIANT Port Adelaide forward Charlie Dixon hopes radical surgery will help keep him on the park and enable him to justify his lofty $3.5 million price tag.

Former Sun Dixon has never played a full season in six years in the AFL, largely because of “loose’’ ankles that have derailed several campaigns.

But the 200cm, 105kg powerhouse underwent surgery in November on the left ankle that prematurely ended his first season in Power colours and is confident the ankle — the more suspect of the two — has become more stable and will result in improved performances.

Dixon, who signed a five-year deal with Port at the end of 2015 worth $3.5 million, kicked 30 goals in 18 games for Ken Hinkley’s outfit last season but admits he can do better.

“I’ve had loose ankles and that’s been a problem for me,” Dixon said, revealing he would play about a half of Friday’s intraclub match at Alberton Oval as he continues to build his fitness base.

“It was just something that wasn’t getting better, so it was best to tighten it up and strengthen it up.

“They (the surgeons) weren’t 100 per cent sure (what was wrong) when they went in there, they did a little bit of a clean out and ended up drilling through it and tightening it up with a couple of cords.’’

Dixon said that when he initially returned to training the ankle was “stiff’’ but that in the past two weeks it had freed up considerably.

“From how I’ve trained in the past couple of weeks I haven’t had any problems at all,’’ he said from Blanchetown, where he spoke to schoolchildren as part of the Power’s AFL community camp.

“I’m moving well and feeling free.’’

Dixon missed four of Port’s final six games last season, including the last two, after having his ankle stepped on against North Melbourne in round 17.

His 18 games for the season were a career-high but Dixon admits that it wasn’t his best year after a promising start.

He did not kick a goal after round 15, going goalless in the last four matches he played, and struggled to become accustomed to the spotlight of playing in Adelaide.

“To be honest, I don’t think it was my best season,” Dixon said.

“You’ve always got to strive to improve, that’s what I’ll go out and do. I’ll work on my craft and do everything I can to get myself better to help the team.

“As for expectations, I tried to keep that out of my mind and just play football but being in Adelaide, it’s pretty ruthless.

“You guys (the media) love to get on and get off us, so do the rest of the supporters.

“It’s very fierce competition and for myself it was definitely an eye opener.

“I’m a little bit more comfortable with where I am at and looking forward to this season.”

Dixon expects to play about a half of the Power’s trial on Friday and two JLT Series games before the start of the AFL premiership season.

“I’ll be ready to roll into round one,” he said.

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