Prized Richmond trade acquisition Dion Prestia caught up with ‘Roar Vision’ to discuss his transition from the Gold Coast to Punt Road. Here’s what he had to say . . .
Tempted by Tigers’ midfield depth
“I’ve been away from Melbourne for a long time, so coming back home was the main reason to trade down from the Gold Coast. There were a couple of Melbourne clubs that I was looking to go to, but I chose Richmond just because of their midfield depth. Thinking of playing with the likes of (Dustin) Martin, (Trent) Cotchin, (Anthony) Miles and (Brandon) Ellis was really exciting. And, they’ve had a lot of draft picks over the last couple of years, as well, that are coming through and have shown a lot of promise.”
Renewing acquaintances with ‘Brando’
“I played junior football with Brandon (Ellis). So, I caught up with him before it was all finished (his trade to Richmond was completed). Hopefully he’s excited to have me around, and getting to play with him again will be good fun.”
Making playing plans
“I’ve spoken with ‘Dimma’ (coach Damien Hardwick) a couple of times . . . The first time, was mostly where I could be through the midfield, the players that I could play with – the Cotchins and Martins. Now, it’s all sorted I can, hopefully, sit down with him and get out a plan for this pre-season coming and the next couple of years . . . Obviously through the midfield is where I’ll hope to play, but I’m happy to play any position . . .”
All-round attributes
“One of my biggest assets is being able to run hard defensively and run hard offensively. So, if they need someone to play a role on a player, I’m happy to put my hand up and do that. But also, I was vice-captain up on the Coast, so, hopefully, I can bring a bit of leadership on the field and off the field as well.”
Thrill of the Tiger Army
“On the Gold Coast, it was great being able to start a team, but Richmond have a massive fan base and a lot of members who really drive their culture and the Club’s history. That’s something I’m really excited about . . . just being able to play at the MCG most weeks and play in front of like 60-70,000, or even more in some games. So, that’s going to be an amazing experience for myself. It’s going to be great.”
