My Story: Dion Prestia opens up on his move to Richmond, his nickname and the best player he’s played withDion Prestia
Herald-Sun
31 May 2020EARLY DAYS AT GOLD COASTI SPENT most of my draft year in 2010 thinking I wouldn’t be selected.
The taller athletic types seemed to be all the rage at the time, so I didn’t like my chances.
My height was a big knock and clubs questioned whether I’d be able to compete with the taller mids.
I couldn’t do anything about my height, so I always made sure I was one of the fittest as that was something I could control. Same with my skills.
The draft was on the Gold Coast and it wasn’t until I got invited to attend with about 15 others that I thought it was going to happen.
My manager Marty Pask also had Dyson Heppell as a client and there was a bit of talk the night before the draft he would go to Essendon at pick No.8.
That’s where I thought I may have been going and, at the time, joining Essendon would have been amazing.
I probably would still be living at home in Craigieburn had I become a Bomber, but going to Gold Coast was my next choice and they took me one pick later.
I’d finished my exams at Assumption College, the next week I was drafted and two days later I was on the Gold Coast living with a host family.
SUNS DEBUTMy AFL debut was memorable for a few reasons.
It was Gold Coast’s first game so it was a big occasion, and I was to debut with 11 other players that night.
We all thought we were a fair chance heading into the clash with Carlton at the Gabba, but we were thrashed. It was a fast reality check.
I remember spending some time on Chris Judd, which felt unbelievable as an 18-year-old who had admired him for years.
He once tackled me too high and the umpire blew the whistle.
“I just won a free kick from Chris Judd, that’s unbelievable,” I thought.
My first win came against Richmond and so was my second win the following year in Cairns when Karmichael Hunt goaled after the final siren.
That’s a feeling I’ll never forget, even though Richmond is my team for life now.
They were the only two wins I experienced in my first two seasons.
COMING HOMEI enjoyed the Gold Coast, but the lure of playing for a big Melbourne club had been a lifelong dream.
I grew up in a Demons family and we’d often go to games at the MCG.
I could never really see from our seats, so I’d take a footy with me and often sneak off to the back of the seating section with my cousin for a kick.
As I got older I noticed the atmosphere more and I always wanted to know what that felt like.
The thought of playing in front of the huge Tiger army drew me to Richmond.
That move at the end of 2016 worked itself out in the end.
Richmond was the best deal to get done for the Suns and I did everything I could to let them know of my intentions.
Staying at the Suns remained an option, but I’d spent six years there and had given it a massive crack.
It was time to come home to Melbourne.
HUMAN MEATBALLThese days everyone seems to think the nickname was coined by Brian Taylor.
It was actually given to me by Gold Coast teammate Michael Rischitelli in my first season, back when I was a few kilos heavier than I am now.
He just started calling me “The Human Meatball”, it made its way down to Melbourne and “BT” ran with it.
I went to school with BT’s second-oldest son, Jordan, at Assumption College, and I think that’s why he doesn’t mind pumping me up a fair bit on the commentary.
I don’t mind the nickname.
The best thing is when kids during games or at training yell out “Meatball!”
It’s certainly a good icebreaker at junior clinics.
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