By Michael Whiting
Newly re-signed Gold Coast SUNS midfielder Dion Prestia said chasing around Collingwood's Norm Smith medallist Scott Pendlebury on Saturday night was a lesson he would never forget.
Prestia, who has extended his contract at the GC SUNS until the end of 2013, followed Pendlebury for much of the 54-point loss and said he took plenty of notes on the Magpie superstar.
Pendlebury racked up 34 disposals – 19 in the decisive first half - in another quality display.
"It was good playing on Pendlebury, Swan, the elite midfielders of the competition. It was a good learning experience for all of us," Prestia said.
"Pendlebury just keeps working hard, always runs to good positions and that's what I learned off him. It was good to see how he ran and how he worked when he wasn't on the ball.
"They always had someone there covering our switches or through the middle they were always running with us."
The GC SUNS were able to tie the second half with the premiers, which Prestia said they would gain a lot of confidence from.
"Our pace is probably our strength because we're all young. [Against St Kilda] we have to try and take the game on like the Bulldogs [match], we really took them on and if we do that we can match it with the better teams," he said.
"We showed we can match it with the best and once we can play four good quarters of footy we'll be much better."
Prestia was taken with the No.9 selection in last year's NAB AFL National Draft and has played 12 matches this season, including the past nine in succession.
He said there was no choice to be made when it came to deciding on a new contract.
"It's probably the most exciting group in the AFL so I want to be a part of it and hopefully win a premiership in a couple of years," Prestia said.
"You don't want to lose that opportunity, so getting another year [extension] was what I wanted.
"It's a great lifestyle up here. It's winter and it's 23 degrees so when my manager asked me about it, straight away I said yes. I love it up here."
The GC SUNS also locked up young ruckman Daniel Gorringe for another two seasons.
Taken with the 10th selection in last year's draft, Gorringe has played seven senior games in an injury-interrupted season.
His current ankle problem is expected to sideline him for the rest of the season.
