Richmond coach Adem Yze has heaped praise on triple Tiger premiership star midfielder Dion Prestia for the current role he’s playing within the team.

Prestia has been in good form since returning to Richmond’s line-up three games ago after being sidelined with a significant hamstring injury that he sustained in Round 1 against Carlton.

In those three games, he’s averaged 24.3 disposals, 8.3 contested possessions, 4.3 clearances, 4.3 score involvements and 287 metres gained per match.

The 31-year-old was one of the Tigers’ best players in Saturday night’s Dreamtime at the ‘G’ blockbuster with a team-high 27 disposals, eight contested possessions, four clearances, five score involvements and 274 metres gained.

Prestia’s value to the Richmond side goes beyond his own strong on-field efforts, according to Yze.

“Dion’s leadership and his ability to coach his way through training and our execution around stoppage, has been terrific,” Yze said.

“If you watch Dion train, he trains a hundred miles an hour. So that then makes our younger players better.”