Port Adelaide forward Charlie Dixon returns to form in the wet as Power enhance finals claims
Big Charlie Dixon has been heavily criticised this season. But the Power big man showed yesterday why he is so important as a focal point for his side. Plus: Recap with quarter-by-quarter reviews.
Charlie Dixon has copped it in recent weeks.
Dropped to the SANFL, described by respected footy journalist Mike Sheahan as “almost the most overrated player in the competition in the last two years” and, when he returned to Port’s AFL side against Essendon last week he only had five kicks.
But in conditions that are not kind to a 200cm key forward, Dixon showed that he might be coming back into form.
And with Port now sitting in the eight with just two games to go there couldn’t be a better time for him to do so.
Dixon finished Saturday’s game against Sydney with three goals, 12 disposals, three marks, two tackles and three hit-outs.
Outside of the three goals in tricky conditions at a wet Adelaide Oval they aren’t red-hot numbers, but the way he presented, fought and brought over Power players into the game had the experts saying the Port big man was back firing.
At the third quarter break, Cam Mooney said Dixon was coming back into form.
“Not a lot of 6’6 guys can do what he does,” Mooney said on Fox Footy.
After Dixon continued his strong performance in the game’s final quarter, Adelaide Crows legend and board member Mark Ricciuto went even further.
“I think he definitely makes them a better side, he takes two, three, four blokes to him in the air,” he said on Fox Footy.
“I think he (in form) is the last piece (for Port Adelaide).”
It is apparent that Port Adelaide walk taller as a side when Dixon is in the team.
And when he is in form they are a much more dangerous one, as evident by his second of the day when he showed athleticism that men his size don’t usually have when he capitalised on an Aliir Aliir to skip round a couple of Swans and snap the ball behind for a goal off his left foot.
But injury has meant these moments have been too few and far between for the Power, with Hinkley dropping him for Port’s last game at Adelaide Oval because he could not longer wait for Dixon to come good.
Hinkley would have been forgiven for making Dixon’s return to the side a brief one after his quiet game against the Bombers last week, with Dixon himself saying it felt like he “was running away from the ball all day”.
But the fitness is building for Dixon, he didn’t come off once in the third quarter, and in addition to the good work he has done from challenging the contest and forcing the ball down to the ground and contest the Port big is finding his goalkicking boots again in a much welcome sign for the Power.
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Dixon wasn’t the only Port Adelaide big man to shine, despite the wet weather, with Hinkley again getting his mix right.
Peter Ladhams looks set to keep Scott Lycett in the SANFL for more weeks, Paddy Ryder also impressed as Port Adelaide won every centre hitout in the game.
Todd Marshall kicked two goals and had eight tackles, the second highest in the game, while Justin Westhoff was solid down back.
But it was the performance of the key big man up top that will have rivals nervous about what this Port side could do in September.
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER UPDATES
FIRST QUARTER
Power 4.4 (28)
Swans 3.3 (21)
IT was raised as a possibility ahead of the game, if the expected wet weather arrived at Adelaide Oval and Port Adelaide broke the glass on its big inclusion and replaced youngster Zak Butters with co-captain Ollie Wines.
But it was Sydney who started better in the wet, with Isaac Heeney capitalising on a Hamish Hartlett mistake to kick the first of the game just seconds in.
Heeney had a chance to double his tally minutes later, again from a Hartlett mistake, but he missed his set shot and Port went up the other end and kicked its first of the game through Karl Amon.
Wines looked to justify his late inclusion, kicking Port’s second, and Todd Marshall further increased the Power’s lead but Ben Ronke and Tom Papley dragged the Swans level but Connor Rozee’s late effort gave the home side a six-point lead.
SECOND QUARTER
Power 7.7 (49)
Swans 4.10 (34)
THE rain hit Adelaide Oval and the Swans started the better in the wet conditions, doing all of the attacking.
But their kicking was wasteful despite and the excellent Dan Houston was quick enough to intercept a Callum Mills’ kick to get the first of the quarter in the sixth minute.
That was the only goal of the quarter until Port’s big forward Charlie Dixon kicked a much needed goal with less than a minute to go and Rozee added his second with a classy effort just before the half was out but Daniel Menzel hit back immediately for the Swans right at the death.
THIRD QUARTER
Power 12.10 (82)
Swans 7.12 (54)
IT was a quick-fire start to the quarter by the Power, as they took a firm grasp of the match.
Marshall kicked his second of the game early on, Rozee registered his third and Cam Sutcliffe had his first of the day all within the first five minutes in a fast start by the Power.
The Power smashed Sydney in clearances, and generated masses of inside 50 entries, but after the early onslaught Menzel and Papley got the Swans back into it before a Paddy Ryder long-bomb gave Port breathing space again.
FOURTH QUARTER
Power 15.13 (103)
Swans 7.14 (56)
SYDNEY fought hard, as it had for most of the match, but Wines’ second of the game just before the 10 minute mark was a nail in the coffin for the Swans.
Led by their outstanding defence, who repelled all the Swans could throw at them, the Power were on top in all major indicators as they inched closer towards the eighth-placed Adelaide Crows on percentage.
Dixon showed he is re-finding his best form, kicking his third of the game, and Sutcliffe’s second after the siren moved the Power into a September position.