Dion Prestia yet to decide on his playing future while Geelong keen on Gary RohanMICHAEL WARNER and JAY CLARK
Herald Sun
June 28, 2016GOLD Coast Suns midfielder Dion Prestia has requested more time to decide on his future as Richmond and Melbourne circle the star playmaker.
Prestia’s manager, Marty Pask, met Gold Coast list chief Scott Clayton and footy boss Marcus Ashcroft in Melbourne on Monday but no agreement was reached.
And Geelong has shown interest in Sydney Swans’ speedster Gary Rohan.
Rohan, 25, is a free agent at the end of next season but the Cats could make an earlier move on the Geelong Falcons graduate if Rohan wanted to return home sooner.
The Suns have made a lucrative and long-term offer to keep Prestia, 23, who was taken with the No.9 draft pick in 2010.
But the line breaking onballer is yet to decide whether he wants to return home to a Victorian club with another meeting between Pask and the club scheduled for next month.
The Tigers are in the box seat to lure Prestia because Melbourne traded away its first round pick in this year’s draft last October.
Rival clubs say Prestia would command as much as $650,000 a season. Brisbane is believed to have offered Adelaide goalkicker Josh Jenkins as much as $750,000 a season.
Gold Coast chiefs are increasingly confident of re-signing fellow young gun Jaeger O’Meara but are less certain about Prestia’s intentions.
A Suns spokesman said the club was still hopeful retaining the Assumption College product.
“Talks are ongoing,” the spokesman said.
O’Meara is in line to make his return from nightmare knee problems in the NEAFL this weekend or the following week.
He has not played since Round 1, 2015 amid continued patella tendon problems.
But the Suns have been buoyed by his recent progress after an overhaul of its strength and conditioning department at the end of last year.
Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade said the club faced a challenge keeping all of its youngsters in the short-term as the Suns recover from an injury-marred start to the season.
“I think the test for us is obviously going to be the next 12 months,” Eade said on Triple M.
But the senior coach was optimistic both would stay.
“I’ve had chats with them but nothing too much as far as pressure because some blokes sort of obviously baulk at that sort of pressure,” he said.
“But talking about where we’re headed and whether they want to be part of it and what they’ve got to offer.
“I think to be quite honest, internally we’re still fairly positive about where it will head, but obviously only time will tell.”
“Jaeger is from country WA and he doesn’t want to go to Western Australia and Dion has made it clear it’s not about getting home for home sake so I don’t think that’s an issue.”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/gold-coast/dion-prestia-yet-to-decide-on-his-playing-future-while-geelong-keen-on-gary-rohan/news-story/de52f76af12dc73b2473ef3a179b9120
