AFL 2025: Richmond star Dion Prestia will make his long-awaited return this weekend
Richmond premiership star Dion Prestia will make his long-awaited return from injury through the VFL this weekend.
Prestia, yet to play a game in 2025, had been hindered by yet another soft-tissue setback.
He has acted as an assistant coach to the young Tigers this year, in particular Sam Lalor and Josh Smillie, but will pull the boots on himself this Saturday night.
Richmond coach Adem Yze admits there was a temptation to rush Prestia back into the AFL team, but he wants to learn from the lessons of last season.
'There always is with the talent he's got and the leadership he provides,' Yze said.
'It's a funny one, when you lose (Tom) Lynchy and (Noah) Balta goes out, well maybe we do (bring him back) but we can't break that (plan).
'His season last year, you could see how important he was when he come in and we probably did it the wrong way and he missed six weeks.
'We've got to learn from that, be really clear and consistent with the plan we've done and he'll go play on Saturday night in Frankston and help our younger boys.
'If he gets through, he'll be available the week after. We're playing the long game with him as well.'
Prestia will play a half of footy over the first three quarters in Richmond's match against Essendon at Frankston Park on Saturday night.
Richmond's injury list is slowly shrinking with the exception of top draftees Smillie and Harry Armstrong.
Armstrong, mending a hamstring, took strides in his recovery on Thursday morning when he got the footy back in his hands.
Yze says the time off is somewhat of a gift to the promising goalkicker as it allows him to spend further time in the gym.
'I think if you ask him he would say he's flying and he is,' he said.
'He's getting a big training block in, I think he's five or six weeks away from playing which is a real positive.
'He'll get some footy later in the year and he's had the opportunity right now, his body is filled in, so we'll take that blessing in the time he's going to have out.
'He can hit the gym and put a few kilos on and he's done that … it was nice to see him out there kicking a few footys around today.'
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