Dion Prestia [merged]

[Chuck17]

Because he’s both soft and poorly skilled. 

That didn’t fit with BT’s narrative though.

Oh OK Thanks

[one-eyed]

'I didn't cramp at all': Injury-hit Tiger pulls up OK

Sarah Black
afl.com.au
Apr 15, 2018 11:00AM

RICHMOND had the luxury of easing premiership midfielder Dion Prestia back into the senior line-up during its 93-point smashing of Brisbane on Saturday.

Prestia missed the first three games of the season with hamstring and glute injuries, but said he pulled up well from his first AFL match of the year.

"I'm feeling really good. I got managed a bit to get through the game, started the quarters on the bench and that," Prestia told AFL.com.au.

"I didn't cramp at all and thought I might, so that was really good."

Prestia played just 77 minutes of the match and finished with 23 disposals and an equal game-high seven clearances (along with Lions ruckman Stefan Martin). By comparison, fellow midfielder Shaun Grigg played 94 minutes and had 26 touches.

The 25-year-old is no stranger to sitting on the sidelines, managing 22 games across his final two seasons at Gold Coast with serious knee injuries, before crossing to Richmond at the end of 2016.

"You do get frustrated not being able to play. But looking at it in a positive way, hopefully I build my season up after missing the first three.

"I think we're in a good position at the moment, being three [wins] and one [loss]. You want to play the first couple of games but it's a long season and I've missed plenty of footy before, so as long as I'm there if we're playing on Grand Final day, that'd be good."

Brisbane didn't score a goal until the 27-minute mark of the third term and only kicked two for the match.

It was a four-quarter performance from the Tigers, who have been inconsistent at times this season.

"The way we defended and set up the ground had something to do with [Brisbane's scoring]," Prestia said.

"They didn't kick a goal in the first half which was awesome for us. We probably got back to what we were doing really well last year in our defensive pressure.

"The way we were setting up the ground was back to where we wanted it to be."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-04-15/i-didnt-cramp-at-all-injuryhit-tiger-prestia-pulls-up-ok

[one-eyed]

How Dion Prestia's return changes the Tigers

Sarah Black
afl.com.au
Jun 28, 2018

RICHMOND is the reigning premier, first on the ladder with a nine per cent buffer over second place.

And with the return of Dion Prestia for Thursday night's top-of-the-table clash with Sydney, the Tigers have the potential to be even better.

TEAMS Tigers cull flag star, Swans lose goalsneak

Prestia has played only four games in 2018, but statistics show Richmond is a better side with the aggressive onballer on the field.

A hamstring injury suffered in the pre-season kept him out until round four; before his latest setback, a calf injury, saw him sidelined for seven weeks.

But when the 25-year-old played, the Tigers were much more effective around the ball, an area they have struggled with (particularly clearances, where they average only above St Kilda) this year.

It is form carried over from 2017, when Prestia had the third-highest average clearances and contested possessions for the club, behind only Brownlow medallists Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin.

Getting the hard ball

                             With Prestia (Rounds 4-7)  Without Prestia in 2018

Clearance differential                     -1                   -5
Contested possession differential   +4                  -12

Prestia's absence has seen Reece Conca and youngster Jack Graham spend much more time on the ball.

Although the pair have been solid, they often require more support from captain Cotchin and Martin than Prestia.
Impact on the stars

Richmond was desperate to lure Prestia to Punt Road, giving Gold Coast pick six in 2016 (which was then used on Jack Scrimshaw), after the Victorian had played 95 games for the Suns.

An integral cog in the midfield, Prestia's presence allows star ball-users like Cotchin and Martin to spend more time causing chaos up forward.

He also has the ability to play a run-with role if an opponent is running rampant, last year holding Brisbane gun Dayne Zorko to just 11 disposals while having 19 himself.

After Prestia's first game for the club – Richmond's first-round win against Carlton in 2017 – coach Damien Hardwick foreshadowed the importance the inside bull was going to have on the forward half as a whole.

"We probably haven't been afforded that luxury [of playing Cotchin and Martin forward], ever since the loss of (Shane) Tuck and (Daniel) Jackson (in 2013 and 2014)," Hardwick said.

"All of a sudden, you bring in those two quality players (Prestia and Josh Caddy), it allows Dusty and Trent to play a bit more time forward.

"It increases our potency and takes the reliance off Jack (Riewoldt) a little bit."

When Prestia has played this season, there's been an obvious difference in the way Richmond structures its forward line.

Percentage of time spent up forward in 2018
   
                      With Prestia (Rounds 4-7)   Without Prestia

Trent Cotchin*          19.8%                           11.0%
Dustin Martin            30.6%                           24.2%

*Cotchin missed round 7 with a knee injury

In the period Prestia played, Martin kicked seven of his 17 goals for this season (although six came in one match against the struggling Brisbane) and Cotchin kicked one out of a season tally of three.

Average Goal Assists in 2018
   
                        With Prestia (Rounds 4-7)     Without Prestia
Trent Cotchin*                  1.3                               0.8
Dustin Martin                    1.0                               1.0

*Cotchin missed round 7 with a knee injury

Although the duo's goal assist numbers don't change much whether Prestia is playing or not, when they play forward they draw high-calibre defenders away from teammates like Daniel Butler, Jason Castagna and Josh Caddy.

Others get rewards
   
                               With Prestia (Rounds 4-7)                    Without Prestia
                         Average Disposal Average Goals   Average Disposal Average Goals

Jason Castagna*          14.5                  2.0                   9.1                   1.6
Josh Caddy                  19.7                  2.0                 17.1                   2.75
Dan Butler                   12.8                  0.8                 11.8                   1.3

*Castagna missed rounds 10 and 11 with knee soreness

With Prestia and key defender David Astbury re-joining the side this week after recovering from injury, it leaves just Bachar Houli (groin), and Jacob Townsend and Kamdyn McIntosh (both dropped) out of the premiership 22.

After a seven-week absence, Hardwick said he is looking forward to seeing what damage Prestia can do.

"He's such a vital player … I can't wait to have him back."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-28/why-this-player-is-so-important-to-the-tigers

[mightytiges]

No surprise we look a better side and played our best footy of the season with Prestia back in. Allows Cotch & Dusty (who kicking was a bit off tonight) to do their thing.

[Tigeritis™©®]

No surprise we look a better side and played our best footy of the season with Prestia back in. Allows Cotch & Dusty (who kicking was a bit off tonight) to do their thing.

Dusty doesnt look right. I think it’s groin issues. Probably did it in the off season.

[mightytiges]

No surprise we look a better side and played our best footy of the season with Prestia back in. Allows Cotch & Dusty (who kicking was a bit off tonight) to do their thing.

Dusty doesnt look right. I think it’s groin issues. Probably did it in the off season.

It's a weird one as Dusty has had two of the past three weeks off but he still looks to be lacking power in his kicking.

[dwaino]

Lambo turns into a machine when Prestia is in the side.

[The Machine]

Welcome back

[Tigeritis™©®]

Lambo turns into a machine when Prestia is in the side.

I think a lotta players lika the meatball

[WilliamPowell]

Was fantastic after such a long break

Stood out like a beacon, how valuable he is and how much we had missed him

[cub]

Was a little rusty, but geez we structure up sooo much better with Dion in the team.

[Slipper]

Was a little rusty, but geez we structure up sooo much better with Dion in the team.

I thought that too. It is like the structural improvement we get defensively when Astbury is in the side.

[lamington]

I can't remember who came at him but his confidence to stand firm and break the tackle was First class

[Dont Argue]

Lambo turns into a machine when Prestia is in the side.

This.
Rusty first quarter, precision under pressure for the rest of the game.

[Willy]

No coincidence that Lambo had a blinder.