Ken Hinkley says Charlie Dixon will be managed throughout the 2024 season

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has told Power fans to prepare for Charlie Dixon to be rested again in 2024 after leaving him out of the side to face Collingwood on Saturday.

Power senior coach Ken Hinkley says spearhead Charlie Dixon was always going to be managed for this weekend, with more rests for the key forward planned this year.

The 33-year-old won’t take on Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday, with ruckman Jordon Sweet coming in for his club debut.

Dixon looked proppy on his ankle during the Power’s thrilling win over Fremantle last week, and was ill earlier this week.

But Hinkley said Dixon was always going to miss the clash.

“We made a decision before the start of the year to be honest, Charlie was never playing in Round 6,” he said.

“Unfortunately he has been a little bit crook earlier in the week, if he had been needed to play this week we would have been able to pick him but we decided a while ago that we were going to look after him more than we have ever done so we can get more games from him, more minutes from him and more contests from him.

Charlie Dixon and Ken Hinkley embrace. Picture: Getty Images

“This won’t be the last time we give Charlie a rest.”

Hinkley said Dixon had accepted the plan for 2024.

“I think he has been really open to it because he knows himself that he has x amount of minutes he can play,” he said.

“And the way he plays he is only a couple of contests away from the next collision and that can hurt him.

“So he has been really supportive of it and good on him.”

Hinkley said who does the lion’s share of the ruck work between Sweet and fellow recruit Ivan Soldo - who has impressed as the solo option for the Power so far this season - would depend on what was happening during the game.

The Power were without injured young gun Ollie Lord and the suspended Jeremy Finlayson as options to replace Dixon for the clash against the Pies.

On Wednesday Finlayson was forced to backtrack on comments he made on his wife’s podcast about his AFL sanction for a homophobic slur, saying he had no issues with the ban.

Hinkley said he was comfortable with players speaking on podcasts.

“We all know what has gone on and we are really clear, all I can say is I know Jeremy has been very sincere about the way he has thought about this situation that he has been in,” he said.

“I know they are very well briefed.

“It is a different world, it is different for me but I embrace it... education is the key.”

The Power were on the end of a 71-point hiding at the hands of the Pies the last time the two teams met at the MCG.

Ken Hinkley and the Power are looking for a fifth win of the season. Picture: Getty Images

The reigning premiers have yet to truly get going in 2024, but Hinkley said their pressure was back.

And he rejected any suggestions that a Power win would be a statement one.

“I just want us to continue to play our brand of football and if we do that and get the win that will be a great outcome for us,” he said.

“It is not going to mean any more at the end of Round 6, it will mean a lot more at the end of Round 24.”

On that occasion the Power could not stop Collingwood star Nick Daicos.

Hinkley kept his cards close to his chest when asked if Port would again try and tag him.

“He will be one of the people that we will be concerned about and whether it is Willem (Drew), Ollie (Wines), Connor (Rozee), Zak (Butters) or Jason (Horne-Francis)... Nick Daicos is a star and he has proven to be.”

Originally published as Ken Hinkley says Charlie Dixon will be managed throughout the 2024 season