Gold Coast forward Charlie Dixon knows there’s no bigger challenge in the AFL right now than taking on a rampant Sydney team.
The Swans head north to take on the Suns on Sunday on the back of their amazing 110-point demolition of Geelong last week.
That victory was Sydney’s sixth in a row, with their big-name forward line of Lance Franklin, Kurt Tippett and Adam Goodes starting to gel ominously for the rest of the competition.
Dixon, who was among Gold Coast’s best in their 32-point loss last Sunday against Adelaide, says the task of playing the Swans is clearly a difficult one but also something to be relished.
“They’re in some really good form at the moment and knocking over some really good teams,” Dixon said.
“It’s pretty good that we’re playing them at home and it’s going to be a good test for us. I’m really excited about it.”
Stopping Sydney’s big three upfront wouldn’t be easy with a full-strength defence but the Suns could be trying to stop the Swans superstars with a makeshift line-up.
Key defender Rory Thompson (wrist) is no certainty to return after missing the past two matches, while Trent McKenzie and Danny Stanley will have shoulder injuries suffered against the Crows assessed during the week.
Regardless of who lines up, Dixon says no quarter will be given against the Swans, a team he remembers physically dominating the Suns during the expansion club’s early campaigns.
“You always think of those first few years where we used to get smacked around a little bit,” he said.
“We’ll go into this game with this same sort of attitude, that we’re going out to hunt them and all that sort of stuff. We’ll just try and let our footy do the talking.
“It’s going to be a tough game for us but I think we can take it to them.”