Without Ken Hinkley's blunt feedback, Port Adelaide's volatile spearhead Charlie Dixon says he wouldn't be on the cusp of a major milestone.
Dixon will play his 200th AFL game on Saturday, against his former club Gold Coast.
"I can fly off the handle a bit," the 32-year-old told reporters on Thursday.
"If I didn't have him (Hinkley) in my career, I wouldn't be playing ... he has always been brutally honest with me and that's the way I respond and how I like my feedback.
"I can simply put it down to, I wouldn't be where I am today without Ken."
What sort of feedback has Hinkley offered?
"Mainly calling me a dickhead when I am being a dickhead, on and off the field," Dixon said.
"And making sure I am accountable on and off the field and representing the club and myself in a proper manner.
"And making sure I am being a good human first. And that is what Ken is massive on, is making sure he's looking after the human before the footballer."
Hinkley was an assistant coach at the Suns when Dixon was part of the Gold Coast's inaugural squad.
The Cairns-born forward played 65 games for the Suns between 2011-16 before being lured to Port Adelaide to rejoin head coach Hinkley.
"I had no idea what I was walking into," Dixon said.
"I had no family down here. I knew Ken and Krak (former Suns and Power player Nathan Krakouer) and that was it.
"And to be honest I didn't really like it that much - it was wet and windy and cold and it felt like it was raining every morning.
"I thought I was going to do my five years and get out of here but I have fallen in love with the place.
"It was a bit of a shock to the system coming into a football town and especially one as passionate as Adelaide."
The often injury-troubled forward has since won Port's leading goalkicker award three times and earnt All Australian selection in 2020.
"It's pretty unreal to be at this many games," he said.
"I have been in the system for a long time and probably should have been there a little while ago (but for injuries).
"I am definitely grateful for the opportunity to have even played one game so to play 200, I am over the moon.
"I don't think many people thought I would get this far so it's definitely pretty humbling."
