RELIEVED TIGER REVELS IN TITLE TRIUMPH
RICHMOND midfielder Dion Prestia believes the Tigers can add more silverware to their dynasty after playing in a flag he feared he would miss.
Prestia said he feared his season could have been over after enduring setbacks following routine surgery to repair a syndesmosis tear in Round 5.
The 28-year-old was forced to undergo follow-up arthroscopic surgery after suffering a golden staph infection in mid-august before returning for the Tigers’ first final.
“I think I only started running about 50 days ago,” he said.
“I had the infection in my ankle. It was pretty full on at a stage there and I didn’t really expect to get back.
“I guess the rehab coaches and the doctors gave me all the confidence that I could, knowing that the syndesmosis had healed up pretty nicely over six weeks.
“I was definitely doubtful for a while there, but it all worked out.”
Prestia said he received the shot of confidence he needed when his foot stood up to the rigours of finals football after an extended break on the sidelines.
“I was confident in my ability, it was just not knowing if it was going to hold up or not,” he said.
“It actually pulled up a lot better than I thought after games.”
Prestia declared the Tigers far from done in their reign after they torched Geelong in a bruising second-half turnaround on Saturday night.
Down by 22 points late in the second quarter, the Dustin Martininspired Tigers won by 31 points to seal their third flag in four seasons.
“I definitely feel like there’s a fair bit more success,” he said.