Richmond urged to dump plans to recruit Gold Coast onballer Dion Prestia
UPDATE: STAR Richmond utility Brett Deledio says the leadership group hasn’t been spoken to about recruiting but wants the Tigers to bring good players and people into the club.
RICHMOND has been urged to dump its plans to secure brilliant Gold Coast onballer Dion Prestia.
The Tigers have chased Prestia’s signature all season as part of a bid to top-up its list for a shot at a premiership.
But after a poor season, leading player manager Scott Lucas and Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes said the Tigers should change their approach and load up on fresh talent at the draft.
Prestia, 23, would almost certainly cost the Tigers their first-round draft pick, currently No. 6.
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But after only seven wins this season, which has placed huge pressure on their contracted coach Damien Hardwick, a forthright Cornes said the Tigers weren’t in a strong enough position to go all-out for another mature-age star.
He said the Tigers should abort the Prestia move and rebuild properly with younger talent.
“To target Prestia now ... It’s not the right call, they’re not in the premiership window,” Cornes said on Fox Footy.
Star utility Brett Deledio, who’s name has been thrown up as possible trade bait to secure the Tigers picks for its list rebuild, says he hasn’t been part of or briefed on any recruiting strategy.
“Not directly, it’s really not our (players) issue,” he told RSN.
“Our job is to perform and play well on the weekend and then the recruiters they take care of that and hopefully they bring in good players for us to play with and that’s when we get involved.
“I’ve always been of the opinion that I like to get good players into our club, and good people into our club, and I don’t know Dion that well but from all reports he’s a great bloke.”
Richmond has also already traded away their second-round pick (currently No. 24) in this year’s draft to Gold Coast.
Lucas said the Tigers should look to rebuild with young talent through the draft in an attempt to peak from about 2018 onwards.
“If you give up your first-round pick for Prestia, you are not actually in the draft until the third round,” Lucas said.
“The issue is from a list management and crystal balling, if next year is going to be a rebuild what does Prestia do? Does he help you win two extra games? Do you want that?
“Or would you rather keep your picks and have another couple of kids (in this year’s draft) that are in their prime in three or four years?
“They really should be looking over the next two or three years to acquire as many top-20 picks as they can however that has to happen.”
Prestia, who has played 95 games, would command a salary in excess of $650,000 a season at Punt Rd next season.
Hawthorn has also been linked to a move on Prestia, who has recently battled injury issues which have restricted him to 22 games in his past two seasons.
The Victorian last week said he is weighing up a tough decision whether to come home to a Melbourne club.
Lucas said the Tigers should look to bring in mature talent through free agency in the coming years, rather than trading away top picks now.
“Free agency (only) costs you the money (for player’s salary) and a list spot,” Lucas said on SEN.
“Trading costs you money, a list spot and the (draft) picks generally or the players you have to give up to get a player in.”
The Tigers have failed to secure a star midfielder in recent years, missing out on Adam Treloar, Patrick Dangerfield and David Armitage.
Originally published as Richmond urged to dump plans to recruit Gold Coast onballer Dion Prestia