Port Adelaide spearhead Charlie Dixon says his dual leg-break is ‘heartbreaking’
CHARLIE Dixon has opened up about his ‘heartbreaking’ leg break and his disappointing end to the season as Port Adelaide slides from premiership contention.
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PORT Adelaide spearhead Charlie Dixon believes he can overcome his “heartbreaking” dual leg break and crash through AFL’s 200-goal mark next year.
Dixon, 27, sustained right ankle and leg fractures in Port’s damaging, after the siren, round 21 loss to West Coast at Adelaide Oval.
Dixon won’t begin running for 10 weeks but noted how a condensed two-week pre-season caused by ankle surgery in late 2016 yielded 49 goals last year.
“I’ve shown I can have eight weeks of pre-season and have a really good year,” said Dixon, stranded on 199 career goals by his untimely injury. “That’s what I had the year before, and had one of my best seasons. That can put me in a good stead.”
Dixon on Tuesday opened up about the mental toll of his injury anguish in Port’s slide from premiership contention to also-ran.
Dixon feared the worst after landing awkwardly having soldiered through an eight-year, 126-game career stymied by ankle and knee issues.
“I went straight from the ground to the hospital and got an X-ray. As I’m getting wheeled back to the bed, the doctor said it was broken,” recalled Dixon, restricted to 26 goals in 20 games during a season where Port struggled to hurt rivals offensively.
“I was pretty emotional. I am an emotional human and to know my season was over was heartbreaking.
“I am a competitor and I want to be out the playing but I have to deal with that, look to next year and come back bigger and stronger.”
Dixon is battling left knee tendinitis but doctors advised rest rather than surgery.
“I will have a fair bit of time off both legs,” said Dixon, who had three screws inserted in his leg and two synthetic cords through the ankle that ‘tied it all together’.
“I will be doing a fair bit of upper-body stuff to get me going but at the moment I will be four or five weeks left in the boot and crutches and in 10 weeks I will be hopefully jogging around freely. After Christmas I will be right to go.”
Dixon insists he can recapture the touch of an impressive 2017 but “didn’t know” the reason for his inconsistency this season. Rucking in Paddy Ryder’s absence didn’t concern 200cm colossus Dixon.
“A bit inconsistent. I thought I provided a contest for my team. Everyone can always improve on their season,” he said. “I have to do what I have to for the team. I don’t mind (ruck) as I can get up around the contest.”
Dixon says ninth-placed Port’s season isn’t over despite its path to the eight requiring victory over Essendon on Friday night and former side Gold Coast upsetting Geelong.
“The season isn’t done, we have a huge game next Friday and that’s what we will be aiming for,” said Dixon.
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