In this week’s special SUNS TV Player Feature, gun midfielder Dion Prestia says a confronting end of season exit meeting with Guy McKenna and the Club’s coaching staff was the catalyst behind the talented Victorian products brilliant 2013 form.
The conversation coming after poor skinfolds and injury significantly hampered Prestia’s debut season on the Gold Coast.
“That talk probably changed my career around even though I was only in my first year,” he said.
“It was a talk I probably needed and a talk that has really set me up for hopefully the rest of my career.”
Taken with the No. 9 pick in the club’s inaugural 2010 AFL Draft class, a 17-year-old teenage Prestia went on to have an encouraging premiership campaign in his first season with the Gold Coasters – averaging 16 disposals including a season-high 20 disposals against the Western Bulldogs in Round 3 of the 2010 Premiership Season.
Despite showing tremendous talent and promise at a young age, a bulky 175cm frame had kept Prestia from reaching his full potential.
“In my first year I was probably a bit overweight, and struggled a bit in the first couple of games,” said Prestia.
“I was in and out of the senior team, playing a stint in the Reserves trying to find my way.
“I had a good talk with our fitness staff at the time and they pretty much told me don’t come back overweight for our second year, so I went home and worked really hard over the pre-season and it’s probably got me in a better state when I can compete at an AFL level.”
But the thought Prestia would be cutting back on his dietary requirements didn’t rest well with his Italian mother, with his family’s European culture famously known for celebrating through their love of food.
“Because I had to stick to my food planner during the off-season, I had to tell mum to stop cooking pasta and schnitzels all the time and start making me salads which wasn’t fun at all,” he said.
“But looking back on it now I can see it has paid off for me really well.”
And it’s hard not to agree. The dynamic midfielder has been nothing short of outstanding in his third AFL season, developing a more sound defensive game after a short stint down back, before being thrown back into the thick of the action around the stoppages where he has continued to take his game to the next level – averaging 25 disposals as an on-baller including a career-high 42 disposals against Adelaide in a best-on-ground performance.
Thankfully the red and gold faithful will have the opportunity to continue watching Prestia graduate into the competition’s elite class of midfielders, the Gold Coaster extending his contract until the end of 2016 after witnessing the growth and rise of the upstart playing group this season.
“I’ve really pleased to have been given three years to continue my development on the Gold Coast and hopefully we will be playing finals footy during that time,” Prestia said.
“When I signed on I always wanted everyone else to sign on with me, and so it’s good to see Jaeger sign on for the same time as me.
“Hopefully all the boys can keep the trend going and hopefully we can go on to build something really special here on the Gold Coast.”
