Richmond midfielder Dion Prestia says he’ll be fit to face Brisbane in Saturday’s AFL qualifying final.
Prestia walked laps at training on Friday as he dealt with some Achilles soreness but is expected to face the Lions.
“Definitely. I don’t think I’ll be missing a final game from soreness, that’s for sure,” Prestia told AAP.
“Yeah just fine, ready to go.”
Prestia said he’d pulled up sore after recent games in wet weather but had been able to train this week.
“It just got sore after the game and probably the last two weeks playing in the wet,” he said.
“Yeah it’s been probably good having the week off this week and just able to manage that through.
“But (I’ve) been able to train Saturday, today and Thursday as well, we’ll have another session. “
After an injury-free off-season, Prestia played all 22 of Richmond’s home and away games this year, the first time he’d achieved that since 2014.
“I guess looking at my two years before that, it’s just being able to roll into a normal off-season, so no off-season surgery for me this year and I was able to just slowly build up instead of having to catch up in December or January and try to get to round one in a couple of weeks,” he said.
“So I think that was just the main part, why I’ve been able to stay consistent. Haven’t really missed any training throughout the week and just been consistent.
“Even if it’s just doing strides on the sideline or coming out of a few drills here or there, I’ve been able to really stay consistent throughout the year.”
With the likes of Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt missing significant chunks of the season through injury – and Alex Rance out for the year – Prestia is among the Tigers to have stepped up.
“I definitely probably see it as my best year so far,” Prestia said.
“I guess being in a successful team allows you to help that but probably just having more of a role I guess, having a lot of injuries to our senior players like (Trent) Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and ‘Rancey’ as well.
“So just having to step up and I guess take a little bit more on myself instead of letting them do it in a way has probably helped me through the midfield especially.”
