AFL: Charlie Dixon delivers four goals for Port Adelaide Power as Sydney Swans are defeated

Charlie Dixon has returned to form for the Power with four goals as Port Adelaide defeated the Sydney Swans 73-47.

Charlie Dixon celebrates one of his goals against the Sydney Swans at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Sarah Reed

The AFL world was talking about Charlie Dixon’s contract all week but if he is considering leaving Port Adelaide this season then he’s doing a good job of hiding it.

Dixon may well have a four-year offer on the table from Brisbane but judging by the way he played against Sydney on Saturday, when the Power defeated the Sydney Swans 11.7 (73) to 7.5 (47) at Adelaide Oval, the passion with which he celebrated his goals and the obvious affection for his teammates, he is going nowhere.

After just two goals in his past two games, Dixon returned to form with four against the Swans and it was no coincidence that it was with Todd Marshall back in the team.

Marshall is proving more help than hindrance to Dixon even when they both go for the same footy, and the Power played three talls including Justin Westhoff inside 50m as they won by 26 points.

Dixon kicked two on Lewis Melican, including a left-foot snap around his body, and out-bodied Aliir Aliir in the goalsquare for his third as well as giving one to Robbie Gray with a clever sideways tap.

Speaking of speculation over players who are supposedly considering leaving Port Adelaide, you can just about put a line through the Ollie Wines rumours based on what we’re seeing.

The vice-captain has had double-figure contested possession counts every game since the AFL Round 9, was excellent against the Swans and is playing with the same passion for the jumper as Dixon.

As with everything Gray seems to do, his timing is impeccable.

The 32-year-old might have taken a while to get going this year but is hitting peak form right as Port Adelaide charges into September.

And unfortunately for Sydney, the Swans were on the receiving end of it on Saturday.

Gray showed flashes of brilliance in the first half of the year but has done it consistently in the past month.

He was excellent against Richmond, good against the Bulldogs and Hawthorn and on Saturday he exploded out of the blocks with 11 disposals and two goals in the first quarter against Sydney.

Gray had a hand in Port’s first two goals with strength in the contest to handball to Cam Sutcliffe and then kicked a trademark snap himself, and his protege Zak Butters was pretty good as well.

The Swans turned their whiteboard upside down at half-time and it sparked a reaction.

Well down in clearances, contested possession and inside 50s, they came out and kicked the only two goals of the third quarter.

The Swans lost the game but will take plenty of positives from the second half.

READ MORE: A Charlie Dixon masterclass, in The Advertiser/Sunday Mail here

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