Dion Prestia [merged]

[Diocletian]

Showed again how badly he's been missed this year....

[one-eyed]

Helping The Tigers’ cause to keep their finals run alive is the return of Dion Prestia, who played just his seventh game for the season on Sunday.

He was one of Richmond’s best, with 31 possessions (10 of those contested) and five tackles.

Hardwick said Prestia just hasn’t been available enough this season.

“It’s reflective of our season. He helps us, there is no doubt about that,” he said.

“Those transitional mids are damaging. On the other side, (Andrew) Brayshaw, (Adam) Cerra and David Mundy, who is 45 years of age, keep getting the job done.

“They move from contest to contest. Those players are hard to find and when you get good ones, they make an incredible difference.

“We have Dion, who has been available at stages throughout the year, but it hasn’t been enough for us.”

Source: HeraldSun

[one-eyed]

THE PLAYER AT YOUR CLUB WHO COULD BE A BIG FACTOR IN 2022

Andrew Slevison
SEN
26 October 2021

All the talk at this time of year has surrounded the new recruits your club has brought through the doors, but what about the ‘new recruits’ already inside?

These are the players who were not factors in 2021 for various reasons, but could be big factors in 2022.

Whether it’s a serious injury, greater opportunities or a new role opening up, these are the players at all 18 clubs who will be greatly welcomed back in 2022.



Dion Prestia

The 2019 best and fairest has struggled to consistently make an impact over the past two years.

Yes, Dion Prestia helped the Tigers win a third flag in 2020, but he only managed nine games. The same this year.

In 2021 it was the soft tissue curse which struck, with his calves and hamstrings playing up again.

He missed a large portion of the first half of the season, failing to grace the field between Rounds 3 and 11, before playing just four times from Round 15.

Prestia is so vital to Richmond through the middle with his two-way running and clever hands the main features of his game. His contested ball winning ability was also clearly missing.

A full season will help right many of the wrongs the Tigers have experienced in the midfield of late.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/10/26/the-player-at-all-18-clubs-who-could-be-a-big-factor-in-2022/

[tdy]

At his age and injury profile I doubt we get 15 games from him. I would start him late and rest him a lot.

[FooffooValve]

At his age and injury profile I doubt we get 15 games from him. I would start him late and rest him a lot.

Works OK if we're winning...

[one-eyed]

Dion Prestia, who played only nine games after repeated calf and hamstring issues

“Dion had a really interrupted year and it was frustrating for us and him. In the last 13 weeks he’s been in here training nearly every single day and he had a fantastic base until he got Covid the other week. But he was back today. He is giving himself every possible chance. Sometimes players just get in a cycle where one soft tissue injury leads to another but we learnt a bit we can put into action this year.” - Peter Burge.

Source: HeraldSun

[the claw]

At his age and injury profile I doubt we get 15 games from him. I would start him late and rest him a lot.

Works OK if we're winning...

The bloke has played all games just three times in eleven seasons. He is closing in on 30 next year  and the injuries are not likely to go away.
Better to have him for limited game time making an impact than not at all  weather we are winning or losing i reckon he is at an age where managing him has become even more important.

[one-eyed]

Dion Prestia has produced his most comprehensive pre-season since moving to Tigerland at the end of 2016, with those inside the football department thrilled with his output following an injury-interrupted period for the midfielder.

Prestia has been riddled by soft-tissue issues during his time at Richmond, with the 29-year-old managing only nine games in 2021 after just nine the year before.

But after banking a solid training block in October and November ahead of Richmond's official return to training, Prestia has strung together an eye-catching December and January to lay the foundations for a big season.

Richmond is expected to now dedicate more time on match simulation ahead of next month's practice match against Geelong and the Tigers' AAMI Community Series game against Hawthorn on March 5.

Source: AFL website

[Andyy]

I really hope the hype is true. He needs a nice big year. Something like 2019.

[Jonesracing82]

Just needs to stay fit & he'll be right

[one-eyed]

Richmond Physical Performance Manager Peter Burge said 2019 best and fairest Dion Prestia had had his best pre-season with the club after being hampered by soft tissue injuries which have restricted him to 18 games across the past two years.

“Last October or November he set out to really get some work into himself so when he came back he was well ahead of everyone else,” Burge said of Prestia.

“He couldn’t have gone about it any better, to be honest. He had a real determination in his pre-Christmas stuff to give himself every chance and give himself every chance with his work on the track and in the gym as well. There’s some things we have altered with his gym program to try and prevent some of the issues he’s had the last year or two. But if you just get some continuity through December and January it really does set you up to play more games.”

Source: HeraldSun

[rogerd3]

Still in rehab group.
Mmm.

[one-eyed]

‘I feel as good as I have felt’: Prestia back in mix after Tigers change approach

Michael Gleeson
The Age
February 6, 2022

The missing pieces of the Richmond puzzle are slowly falling back into place with midfielder Dion Prestia warning rumours of the death of the Tigers’ midfield are premature.

Prestia said he is back to full fitness and backed Jack Riewoldt’s assertion that the Richmond era is not yet over.

He believes Richmond’s midfield will be at full strength again, which should mean the fall from finals last year was an aberration and a consequence of the toll of a long time at the top.

A best and fairest winner in Richmond’s 2019 premiership year, Prestia missed almost all of last season with calf and hamstring injuries but says a new strength program has changed the way he trains, and he is now running as well as ever.

With Dustin Martin last year also out at length after he lacerated his kidney, and veterans Shane Edwards and Trent Cotchin both missing a handful of games each, Richmond’s midfield was thin and heavily reliant on Shae Bolton.

This year Martin and now Prestia are both fully fit and ready to return.

“I definitely believe we are right in the mix this year that’s for sure. Look at the midfield we have still - Dustin Martin, Shai Bolton had an amazing year, Shane Edwards, myself, Trent,” Prestia said

“I look at that midfield and think we are one of the top midfields in it still. And then we have [Ivan] Soldo coming back as well. Nank [Toby Nankervis] had to take a lot of the workload last year. Jack [Riewoldt] said the other day, ‘Do not write us off too quickly’ and I agree with him.”

Richmond’s midfield is returning to a more familiar look, with Martin and Prestia back. Edwards and Cotchin are in the twilight of their careers, but the Tigers are still looking strong behind the ball.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/i-feel-as-good-as-i-have-felt-prestia-back-in-mix-after-tigers-change-approach-20220206-p59u6m.html

[pmac21]

9 news reporting he has an ankle concern and had scans.  Said just precautionary but this is very worrying news.
Anyone know anything further

[one-eyed]

Prestia walked a couple of laps at training yesterday. We next train tomorrow morning. I'm guessing he'll missing the Hawthorn game.