Former AFL footballer Charlie Dixon has spoken on the challenges he’s faced after retiring from the top level

Former Port Adelaide and Gold Coast star forward Charlie Dixon has opened up on the challenges of post-AFL life, and the lessons which have helped him get through.

Charlie Dixon celebrates a goal during his final season in the AFL. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Former Port Adelaide and Gold Coast Suns key forward Charlie Dixon has opened up on the struggles he’s faced integrating into the wider community post-AFL.

The career prospects for former AFL footballers with aspirations of media gigs or coaching roles are well-established, but what perhaps flies under the radar is the challenges faced by those who don’t want to be the next Kane Cornes or Sam Mitchell.

Dixon spoke to this masthead ahead of his highly anticipated one-off match with his old junior club Cairns Saints on Saturday, revealing he’s become familiar with the trials and tribulations of life without AFL footy.

Charlie Dixon (left) takes a big mark for Cairns Saints in the 2007 AFL Cairns grand final.

“It’s definitely a challenge, you go from having your life regimented down to the minute to basically nothing,” he said.

“I’m not going to lie, it’s been a struggle trying to work out what to do with myself and what my next sort of steps are.”

The 2020 All-Australian said the key to him finding a path through the wilderness was getting back some of that structure through his own career pursuits.

“I’m sort of getting on top of it at the moment,” he said.

“I do some work with Qube Logistics, and now I’ve got my MC (Multi Combination) license I do some truck driving a couple times of week.

“Like I was in Port Augusta the other week for work which was a lot of fun.

“I love driving and I love my cars.

“It’s given me a bit of structure while I work out what I want to do with the next phase of my life.”

But in between all that he still finds time to get out on the field for his new local club Lobethal in the Hills Football League.

Charlie Dixon (right) has joined Lobethal for the 2025 Hills Football League season. Picture: Lobethal Football Club

“I still enjoy playing my footy here and there, it helps to have something I love to come back to on the weekend,” he said.

Dixon is now gearing up for his first game in AFL Cairns since he played in the Saints’ grand final defeat back in 2007 as a 17-year-old.

“I think it’s the last grand final I played in so they don’t come around too often,” he laughed.

“It’s a club that was very pivotal to the start of my career, having that senior footy experience as a teenager turned out to be super important for me.

“Plus the chance to play with my brother (Jesse) will make it pretty special.

“He came down and played a game for my local club about a month ago. That was the first time in 17 years that we played together.”

Dixon will be taking the opportunity impart some of the wisdom that 221 games at the top level afforded him, as he has spent some time with the Saints’ junior players at their midweek training run.

“I had the chance to come up earlier on and get down for the under-13s and under-15s training sessions, just to be there and help out with some drills,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to having a run around with my teammates on Thursday evening, it’s always good to meet the blokes that will be kicking the ball to you.”

Dixon will run out for the Saints on Saturday at 5.30pm as they take on Port Douglas Crocs.

Originally published as Former AFL footballer Charlie Dixon has spoken on the challenges he’s faced after retiring from the top level