AFL 2022: Port Adelaide’s Charlie Dixon says best yet to come
Port Adelaide’s Charlie Dixon believes he is yet to reach his “peak” as he looks forward to a long-awaited return to Cairns for an AFL premiership game.
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PORT Adelaide key forward Charlie Dixon believes he is yet to reach his “peak” as he looks forward to a long-awaited return to Cairns for an AFL premiership game as the Power seek to turn two preliminary final appearances into a breakthrough flag.
The Power’s Round 7 clash with St Kilda will be played at what is regarded as one of the premier Aussie rules football venues in regional Australia.
Dixon was born in Cairns, and after playing basketball as a youngster, he picked up the Sherrin at Redlynch Lions as a 13-year-old, 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).
Dixon’s best season so far came in 2020, when he was the Coleman Medal runner-up and selected as an All-Australian. But the 31-year-old said we hadn’t seen the best he has to offer just yet.
“I’d like to go to another level,” he said.
“Last year I was a bit hit and miss, and fell over towards the end.
“I’ll try to take a different approach this year, try to maintain my body a bit better throughout the year so I don’t tail off towards the end, I can keep going strong.
“Just keep some continuity in the body and having a rest when I need a rest. Hopefully keep building on my form. I think there’s still plenty of footy in me.”
The Power have fallen in the preliminary final twice in two years, and while there is still some hurt, Dixon said it served as extra motivation for the new campaign.
“Two years in a row is pretty tough, a bitter pill to swallow, to be honest,” he said.
“That’s footy, it’s a genuine rollercoaster, so you love to hate the game. It can be brutal, and it was to us. That’s what we have to focus on, moving forward and throwing ourselves into next year.”
As for a return to Cairns, his first opportunity to play a premiership game in his hometown in a decade, Dixon just hopes to get more game time than he did last time.
“I rolled my ankle pretty bad and I only played the first quarter,” Dixon said. “Fingers crossed I get there and can play out the full game.
“It’s awesome, to be able to get back to Cairns and play footy where I grew up, at that same oval.
“I love that ground.”
Dixon said it was crucial for the AFL to keep returning to regions like Cairns.
“It’s huge to get out to towns that aren’t AFL-dominated to be able to build the game, and be able keep the competition strong all over Australia,” Dixon said.
“Cairns has a huge AFL culture at the moment, but it can also be bigger.
“We do have the facilities up in Cairns; it’s a pretty wonderful place in winter and I’m looking forward to getting back there, and I know the lads will be looking forward to getting out of the cold.”
WHY AFL CLASH IS A STEP TO BIGGER DEAL
St Kilda’s return to Cairns will be the next big step in establishing what local AFL officials is hopes is a long-term relationship with the tropics.
The Saints will host Port Adelaide at Cazalys Stadium on Saturday, April 30, in what will St Kilda’s second game at the venue.
For incoming AFL Cairns general manager Craig Lees, it is an important step towards a long-term deal to bring AFL premiership games to Cairns’ premier sporting venue.
Of course, it takes more than the AFL club’s desire to travel and AFL Cairns staff to have a fully prepared Cazalys Stadium available for use.
Which is why Lees and AFL Cairns are working closely with Tourism Events Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland, and Cairns Regional Council to not only secure this fixture, but more in the next few years.
“The key to the relationship is (St Kilda’s) want and commitment to come back,” Lees said. “They were disappointed they were unable to fulfil the community engagement obligations last year (due to Covid restrictions).
“We’re working with stakeholders to get a long-term deal.
“TTNQ, TEQ and council are all behind this game, and they are integral in us picking up games in future.”
The Aussie rules community is particularly keen for this year’s fixture given Cazalys could return to full capacity.
The venue has hosted five games in two seasons - four in 2020 when Cairns became an AFL hub and welcomed Sydney, Fremantle, Melbourne and Brisbane, and St Kilda’s clash with Adelaide earlier this year - though all five were conducted with crowd caps.
There is hope the game will be sold out, with Victorians and South Australians expected to travel to the fixture.
A contribution was made using grant funding from the Australian Government under the Recovery for Regional Tourism program, an initiative of the $1 billion COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.
Cairns Mayor Bob Manning also welcomed the return of AFL footy to the regional Australia’s best footy field.
“Having AFL come back to Cairns is wonderful news and to host two interstate teams is great for our city,” he said.
“Both St Kilda and Port Adelaide have well established and passionate supporters and I am confident that with borders open, we will be welcoming many travelling fans to our city for the match, who will no doubt take time to explore what our region has to offer.
“Certainly, April is a great time to be in Cairns, and no better place outside a metropolitan centre to play elite football.
“Cazalys’ Stadium is quite simply the best AFL oval in regional Australia.”
FNQ ROLLS OUT RED, BLACK AND WHITE CARPET FOR AFL
FAR North Queensland will again roll out the red, black and white carpet for St Kilda in 2022, with Saints locked in to bring an AFL premiership game at Cazalys Stadium.
And it could be the return of one of Cairns’ favourite sons.
The Cairns Post can reveal St Kilda will host Port Adelaide at the region’s premier sporting venue on Saturday, April 30.
St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis said the club was excited about its return to FNQ.
“We’re thrilled to return to tropical north Queensland in 2022 and are incredibly excited to be welcomed back by our Queensland faithful,” he said.
“Cazalys Stadium, and the entire north Queensland area, is a wonderful part of the world and it’s only fitting that the match will be held in prime-time.
“Although last year was challenging with travel restrictions, we hope to see as many St Kilda fans and supporters visit the region and soak up the tropical north sunshine in April.
“I’d like to thank Tourism Events Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Cairns Regional Council for their support again in 2022 and we look forward to connecting with the Cairns local community when we return north.”
It will be the first time the Power have played in Cairns, giving former Saints junior Charlie Dixon an opportunity to play another premiership game in his home town.
Dixon was born in Cairns, and started playing Australian rules football at Saints as a teenager. He played for Saints in the 2007 AFL Cairns Grand Final as a 17-year-old before moving to Brisbane.
A three-time Queensland under-18s representative, Dixon made his debut at the Gold Coast Suns in 2011, playing 65 games before he was traded to Port Adelaide at the end of the 2015 season.
He has since played 112 games and kicked 200 goals for the Power, and becoming a key member of their forward line. In 2020, he was second in the Coleman Medal and was named an All-Australian.
Saints’ previous trip to Cairns was in June this year, when they fell to Adelaide in front of 5969 people.
The 9.12 (66) to 8.12 (60) loss all but ended St Kilda’s finals chances as Crows young gun Riley Thilthorpe became the hero in just his eighth AFL game, and sealed the remarkable comeback win.
The April fixture will be the 14th AFL premiership game played in Cairns.
Finnis thanked Tourism Events Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Cairns Regional Council for their support in bringing the fixture to Cairns.
Ticket information will be released at a later date.
matthew.mcinerney1@news.com.au
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