Hulking Port Adelaide forward Charlie Dixon can see the end in the sight.
He’s been in the AFL so long he’s lost count of how many seasons it actually is, and this pre-season he admits he’s “sore” and struggling.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Charlie Dixon still recovering from broken foot.
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Dixon has revealed to 7NEWS that he is still recovering from the broken foot that derailed his year late last season.
And as the 33-year-old battles through another interrupted pre-season, he admits this year could be his last.
“We will see what happens at the end of the year, if I’m still playing or not, “ Dixon told Seven.
“Hey, if it is, it is … but I’m gonna do everything I can, like I do every year, to try and win.”
But the years are starting to add up for Dixon, who was first drafted by the Gold Coast Suns back in 2009.
“I think it’s 15 (seasons in the AFL). I’m not 100 per cent sure but it seems like a lot,” Dixon — who made his AFL debut in 2011 — said.
After all those years, Dixon’s banged-up body continues to pay the price.
When most players start the year feeling reasonably fresh, Dixon is already feeling it.
He has had a groin issue that has restricted his training over the past few weeks, and the foot he broke last August is still causing him grief.
“I fractured one of the bones in there, so that’s been the longest one (to recover) through this pre-season,” he said.
“Other than that it’s just normal soreness and all that sort of stuff.”
Port Adelaide have a new generation of leaders this year and Dixon said the club’s youth was keep him young.
“I’m just excited to still be a part of it,” he said.
“They’re probably the reason that I’m still sort of hanging around at the moment.”
But Dixon will face a battle to get into the side, even when he’s ready to play.
Port Adelaide have added two new talls to their list in Ivan Soldo and Jordon Sweet, and they also have Dante Visentini and forward-ruck option Jeremy Finlayson at their disposal, plus rising key forward Tod Marshall.
Marshall will be the general of the front six this year, but there’s also young key forward Ollie Lord (who showed promising signs last year) and injured forward Mitch Georgiades waiting to return after his ACL tear last year.
How it all looks, only coach Ken Hinkley and his assistants really know, but Hinkley isn’t giving anything away.
“We’re not planning on running one or two rucks,” Hinkley told News Corp.
“Normally, we play one ruck, but Charlie is 33, and both Ivan and Visentini can go forward and impact the game. Sweety is a bit more of a traditional ruckman so that opens the door for us to look at different option.’’
But does that mean Dixon is in the team?
“(It’s) whoever wins,’’ Hinkley said.
