Reality of tough year hits home for Prestia
SITTING on the turf of the Gabba with the AFL cup positioned between his feet and premiership medallion draped around his neck, Dion Prestia made a video call home.
“Facetime and Zoom calls have been the theme of this year,” Prestia said of his chat with his parents.
“It was good to be able to celebrate to do that and we can celebrate when we are back in Melbourne together.
“They said how proud of me they were and they have got my other two medals.
They have had it pretty tough this year so it was a nice way to top off 2020.”
The career of the former Gold Coast Suns vice-captain has skyrocketed since his exit from the Queensland club at the end of 2016.
Sitting in the KDV Sport accommodation, across the road from the club he spent six years at, the 28-year-old midfielder now has three premierships to his name and is part of one of the most successful teams in football history.
“It’s amazing to play in a finals series, it’s that hard to get there and to be able to win
three premierships is amazing,” Prestia said.
“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. I’m trying to take my time and soak it in as much as I can because I don’t really remember much from the first. I tried in the second and still don’t remember much.
“I still think we have a few in us. Our young boys have shown they can perform in big games.
“Our list is still pretty young so next year why not? We will keep rolling and hopefully back at Punt Road in front of the Tiger army.”
The validity of this year’s
premiership has been questioned throughout a compromised season but Prestia said his third flag was as special as any could be given the challenges the teams faced to perform.
“The win is pretty special with what we have had to go through over the last 110 days or so,” Prestia said.
“The way we won as well was just amazing. It was different to the other two which is pretty cool to say.
“I thought at the start of the year it would be a special one for whoever won it. To get over the line was incredible. It’s one of the most special ones for me, hopefully I have another couple in me.”
Prestia said the life in the hub, and midnight snacks from the hotel chef, the “amazing Marco”, had brought the Tigers playing group closer together during a difficult season.
“We will look back at the time we had and think how good it was,” Prestia said.
“We got looked after pretty well, it was awesome by the AFL to get us into the hub.
“We were at a hotel by ourselves. We ended up having an awesome relationship with all the staff who were out there at the hotel in Carrara.