Boom Richmond mature-age recruit Dion Prestia is awestruck by the might of the Tiger Army.
The intense passion and sheer size of Richmond’s supporter base is what differentiates the Tigers and Prestia’s former AFL club Gold Coast, according to the gun midfielder.
“We’ve got 57,000 members already and haven’t even started the season yet,” Prestia said on SEN.
“That’s probably the biggest thing. And you get noticed a bit more, just with all the Richmond fans.”
The biggest crowd Prestia has played in front of, throughout his six-season AFL career, is 49,069 against the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval in 2014.
That attendance figure will well and truly pale by comparison, when Prestia makes his debut for Richmond in the big 2017 season-opener against traditional rival Carlton.
“I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like running out Round 1 against Carlton. I don’t know what to expect,” he said.
“I can’t wait to embrace it and just see it happen.
“That’s what I’m really excited about.”
