Port coach hails prized recruit Dixon

Port Adelaide's prized recruit Charlie Dixon is exceeding expectations at his new AFL club, Power coach Ken Hinkley says.

"He has been everything we were hoping for and probably a little bit more," Hinkley told reporters on Friday.

Dixon, who left Gold Coast at the end of last season, has kicked 26 goals for the Power this year but, just as importantly for Hinkley, has matured off-field.

"Not only have I seen the player improve, I have seen the man improve," Hinkley said.

"And that's a real tick for Charlie and the way he has gone about it, because this was a pretty significant step for him in his life.

"He's a northern Queensland boy, lived his whole life up there, and he's going to come and live in a city that he knows nothing about (in) a mad football state.

"That opens himself up to a lot of issues that comes with good and bad form but so far he has been able to handle all those things."

Hinkley said the 25-year-old key forward's output couldn't be measured by purely goals scored.

"As I said from the day we got him, I knew one thing was going to happen: his teammates were going to love playing with him the first day they played with him," Hinkley said.

"And that is exactly what has happened. They just enjoy his contest and know that he'll work really hard for them."