Dion Prestia [merged]

[one-eyed]

Prestia pumped at Punt Road

richmondfc.com.au
25 November 2016

Prestia's first week Richmond recruit, Dion Prestia speaks to Channel 7 about his first week at Punt Road.

In his first week on the training track at Richmond, talented mature-age, midfield recruit Dion Prestia spoke to Channel Seven about life as a Tiger.  Here are his thoughts . . .

Great to be home and with the Tigers

“Being in Melbourne, back with the family, is probably the biggest difference I’m going to find now.  I was able to go home and see them last night and over the weekend . . . That was the reason I wanted to get back home – to be closer to my family.  I’ve only been here (at Richmond) a couple of weeks, but I’m really looking forward to seeing what new things I can learn and things I can bring to the table here.”

Top times ahead

“I still think their list is very exciting.  I feel they had an off year . . . the previous years before that, they were going really well  . . . It seems like they’re pretty self-driven.  So, hopefully, we get some success.”

Finals focus

“I think every team expects to make finals, so it’ll be definitely our goal and something we’ll be striving to do.”

Aims and aspirations

“A whole pre-season at the moment is my plan . . . I’ve been working pretty closely with the rehab staff here and just getting through this period.  I’ll try and get as fit as I can and then, after Christmas, it looks like I’ll be able to go full-on with the main group.  I just want to keep trying to play consistent footy . . . grow my game on and off the field here, which I think I have a great opportunity to do.”

On top of his knee problems

“I feel right now it’s at the best stage it probably has been over the last two years . . . I’ve been eased into it (pre-season training).  Obviously, we’ve got a pretty long pre-season ahead of us, so there’s no need to be rushing in at the moment.  So, just get the body right and, hopefully, I can play a good 25 games.”

Being handed the Tigers’ No. 3

“I understand who’s worn it in the past and I know they’ve been great for the Club . . . I’m just proud to be able to wear the Richmond colors and, hopefully, I’ll do them proud.”

Working closely with Cotchin and Martin

“I know they’ve been around for a while, but they’re still got a lot of years still ahead of them.  And I just hope that they can improve me and I can improve them. I think the midfield depth is really good . . . it’s going to grow my game.”

Invigorated by change

“A fresh start for me, has been really good . . . just finding out new things and new ways to improve.  Obviously, I wasn’t here before, but everything seems to be going really well at the moment. I’m excited by it and I’m finding it really good.”

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2016-11-24/prestia-pumped-at-punt-road

[taztiger4]

Good news

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/dion-prestia-recovery-from-knee-injury-on-track-for-preseason-competition/news-story/5c746adbc8954244f5c924fe2b9c6418

[(•))(©™]

I heard he's feeling depressed

[one-eyed]

JUST 20 SLEEPS TO GO...

Richmond recruit Dion Prestia is used to playing in front of home crowds of about 15,000 - but that is about to change in a big way.

The former Gold Coast Sun is counting down the days until he runs out on to the MCG to face Carlton in front of possibly 80,000 fans.

"It's pretty much all I think about at the moment," he told Fox Sports.

"I'm trying to go week by week but I'm really pumped for that Round 1 hitout against Carlton, I actually don't know what to expect.

"That's the whole reason I wanted to move down (to Richmond), it will be an awesome experience to play in front of that many (fans) and hopefully get a win."

Prestia said he didn't feel the Tigers were under any extra pressure this year and predicted a return to September action.

"Every club at the moment is thinking they're going to play finals and I definitely think Richmond are a chance to make the top eight. We might have had a poor year last year but I'm really confident in what we can do in 2017."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/afl-daily-live-rolling-footy-news-from-around-australia/news-story/51deeda7dc1ef763d55a527a0e163bcb

[one-eyed]

Polished Prestia repays trade faith

Lauren Wood,
Herald Sun
24 March 2017

IT was footy in Melbourne all over.

Opening round, 73,000 at the MCG. Punt Rd gridlock, Swan St buzzing and scarfs out car windows. This was what getting to Melbourne was all about for Dion Prestia.

They don’t do it like this on the Gold Coast.

Prestia, 24, had only played on the MCG seven times before Thursday night, for just two wins.

Out there for number eight, this time in yellow and black, he looked right at home.

“It was a great win for the boys, and great to see the crowd out here,” he said.

“73,000 is just awesome.”

He was one of the biggest fish of the trade period and gets called “meatball”. But boy, is there substance to him — some serious flavour and flair.

He entered the game with some concerns — he’d been missing from a few training sessions this week — and he was taking the number of a much-loved former Tiger that many were sad to see shift harbourside, Brett Deledio.

Commentators have talked the talk about the top-10 pick, despite knee injuries that have curtailed his past two seasons, and he proved on Thursday night that walking the walk is no trouble.

A couple of goals, a pinch of pressure and a touch of class — and the recipe came together beautifully under heat.

He even cleans up afterwards, his work out of defence polished.

A guy named Dustin Martin stole the show, but every superstar has their sidekick.

And what a pair those two made — 51 touches between them and five goals.

Attack proved brutal for the Tigers.

“We did a lot of work over the pre-season — a lot of new players and new coaches coming in,” Prestia said on Channel 7.

“I think we’re a lot different to what (they) were last year — so we looked pretty good tonight. We need to keep backing it up.”

Soon after, Prestia and fellow former Sun and housemate Josh Caddy had their first of many drives home together from the MCG.

Reckon it was one to remember.

“We were looking for each other but I was pumped when he came down to Richmond (from Geelong),” Prestia smiled.

“It’s awesome being with him and being back — it’s a bit of a love story, which is nice.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/dion-prestia-delivers-polished-performance-in-first-game-for-richmond/news-story/b924b8574ba5076d39c5bae25e629c68

[WilliamPowell]

Gun 

[Willy]

Has real poise. Doesn't rush his disposals. Just takes the right option and hits it.

Prestia. Martin. Cotchin. Nank. Pretty good centre square.

[🏅Dooks]

Quality 

[wayne]

Worth pick 6 easily

[Chuck17]

As long as his body holds up there will be some posters that should hang there head in shame for their comments

[🏅Dooks]

As long as his body holds up there will be some posters that should hang there head in shame for their comments

Exactly.

[yandb]

As long as his body holds up there will be some posters that should hang there head in shame for their comments

Exactly.

I counted four times last night that Prestia was trapped on his non preferred foot three times he scrubbed a right foot kick and the fourth time he eventually used his left and hit a Carlton player lace out.

Gun players have a reasonable non preferred foot Prestia does not.

His game last night was very good but to call him a gun is a stretch.

[🏅Dooks]

As long as his body holds up there will be some posters that should hang there head in shame for their comments

Exactly.

I counted four times last night that Prestia was trapped on his non preferred foot three times he scrubbed a right foot kick and the fourth time he eventually used his left and hit a Carlton player lace out.

Gun players have a reasonable non preferred foot Prestia does not.

His game last night was very good but to call him a gun is a stretch.

I counted 28 disposals. 4 bad kicks out of 28 = 85.7% disposal efficiency (elite) 

Like Chuck said, hang your heads in shame peoples 

[Chuck17]

As long as his body holds up there will be some posters that should hang there head in shame for their comments

Exactly.

I counted four times last night that Prestia was trapped on his non preferred foot three times he scrubbed a right foot kick and the fourth time he eventually used his left and hit a Carlton player lace out.

Gun players have a reasonable non preferred foot Prestia does not.

His game last night was very good but to call him a gun is a stretch.

I counted 28 disposals. 4 bad kicks out of 28 = 85.7% disposal efficiency (elite) 

Like Chuck said, hang your heads in shame peoples 

Hang them low as well you ordinary charachters

[one-eyed]

Richmond midfielder Dion Prestia's training load to be managed due to knee issues

Daniel Cherny
The Age
7 April 2017 1:08pm

Richmond will continue to manage Dion Prestia's training load as their star midfielder attempts to play a full season for the first time in three years. While the Tigers insist Prestia has been doing the majority of work at closed sessions, he has been on lighter duties later in match weeks as he manages the knee issue that hampered his final two seasons at Gold Coast.

Richmond are adamant that Prestia is not expected to miss any games because of his knee, although the club concedes he may need to be managed on the training for the remainder of the year,

Prestia, 24, was traded to Punt Road last October after his 2016 campaign ended prematurely due to knee surgery. He played 14 games last season at the Suns, following just eight the previous year. His output diminished too, polling just one Brownlow vote across his last two years at Gold Coast after 22 over the previous two seasons.

While Prestia began his time at Richmond in the club's rehab group, he soon began working with the bulk of the squad. The nuggety on-baller appeared in the pre-season JLT Community Series, and has played in both of the Tigers' matches this season. He was particularly impressive in the club's win over Carlton in round one, playing second fiddle to Dustin Martin with 28 disposals and a goal. Prestia's output was somewhat diminished in the second-round victory over Collingwood, although he still had 24 disposals, even if his ball use left something to be desired.

http://www.watoday.com.au/afl/afl-news/richmond-midfielder-dion-prestias-training-load-to-be-managed-due-to-knee-issues-20170407-gvg2w1