Gold Coast Football Club’s vice-captain Charlie Dixon is counting down the days to GCFC’s Cairns-based home game against Bendigo Bombers on Saturday.

The powerful key forward lived in Cairns until 2007 before heading south to Brisbane to advance his footballing career.

Although basketball was his first love as a kid, he played a few junior AFL games for his local club Redlynch Lions and when the footy bug finally bit, he managed to work his way into the Cairns Saints senior’s at just sixteen years of age.

Dixon said the return home would be a special time for his family and friends.

“I can’t wait to get back to see everyone. Cairns is a small enough place to be able to know a whole heap of people. I’ve got Mum and a whole NSW crew coming up for it as well. It’ll be huge. I’ve got a lot of friends who’ve been talking about it more than me. There’ll be a bit of pressure, but in a good way.”

Dixon has particularly fond memories of the venue scheduled to host the game, the impressive Cazaly Stadium.

“Ever since I was a kid it was just the duck’s nuts, especially relative to some of the other grounds. It’s just a really good surface underfoot and the perfect size – it’s got really deep wings. You know, as kids you’d look up and see those massive lights, and when you’ve never seen the ‘gabba or the MCG or anything it was pretty fantastic. It was the big stadium in Cairns, the place where you wanted to play.”

In Cairns, AFL competes with rugby league, soccer and to a lesser but relevant extent, rugby union for winter sporting dominance, but Dixon believes Northern Queenslanders’ thirst for sport means there’s room for all codes and more.

“Cairns is just one of those classical regional sporting centres. There’s all the different footy codes, of course, but you look around and there’s great hockey fields, and basketball facilities. It’s sport mad, Cairns.”

If selected, the trip north also represents a homecoming of sorts for Hope Vale-raised Rex Liddy.

“I talk to Rexy a little bit, and he always loves getting back up there,” said Dixon. “There’s a big piece of his heart up Cairns way. He’ll be looking forward to it, that’s for sure.”

GCFC plays Bendigo Bombers at Cazaly Stadium, Cairns on 17 July, 2010.

The game starts at 12.00pm. Click here for more information.