Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Port sweat on Dixon fitness test in AFL

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says spearhead Charlie Dixon is no guarantee to play in Saturday's vital AFL clash with Sydney.

Port Adelaide spearhead Charlie Dixon
Port Adelaide spearhead Charlie Dixon will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness. (AAP)

Port Adelaide spearhead Charlie Dixon will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness ahead of his side's AFL clash with Sydney.

Dixon was recalled a week ahead of his scheduled return from an ankle injury for a game the Power must win to keep their slim finals chances alive.

Coach Ken Hinkley says he expects the agile forward to be available on Saturday despite taking an extended squad of 24 players to Sydney as a precaution.

"Charlie's not over the line yet," coach Ken Hinkley said on Friday.

"He's just got to get through (training). He won't do much.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

"The only way Charlie won't play, in my view, is if something goes wrong in the warm-up tomorrow and he doesn't feel comfortable.

"We expect that not to be the case."

After kicking the highest score of the 2016 AFL season in their 25.23 (173) to 11.13 (79) thumping of Brisbane, Port look set to face a much more difficult task against the miserly Swans.

Sydney have been easily the stingiest side in the competition this year, conceding just 68.5 points per game.

Hinkley said the Power would look to stretch the Swans' backline with the inclusion of 202cm Dixon alongside 197cm John Butcher and 199cm Justin Westhoff, who will line up for his 200th game.

"It's nearly the first time for the year we've actually got a couple of fit, tall forwards with 'Hoff' to be out there running around together," Hinkley said.

"We're interested to see what happens.

"It's probably been our desire to have more of that. We haven't actually been able to do that as often we liked either through form or through injury."

Port have taken rookie forward Jake Neade and omitted midfielder Jimmy Toumpas to Sydney as travelling emergencies.

The Swans, who have named an unchanged side for Saturday's game, have not lost to the Power at the SCG since round two, 2006.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world