Gold Coast leadership group to have one final shot at convincing Dion Prestia to stay
THE Gold Coast Suns leadership group could have one final shot at trying to convince Dion Prestia to stay when they meet after the final game of the season.
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THE Gold Coast Suns leadership group could have one final shot at trying to convince Dion Prestia to stay when they meet after the final game of the season.
Jaeger O’Meara has told the club he wants to leave to join a Melbourne club and fellow out-of-contract midfielder Prestia has also been linked to a shift to Victoria – most likely to join Richmond.
Suns captain Gary Ablett said Prestia was yet to indicate his final choice but revealed the leadership group – that Prestia is part of – would meet with the on-baller along with the outgoing O’Meara in the coming weeks.
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It could provide the senior figures of the Suns to state one final case for why Prestia should remain at the Gold Coast in an all or nothing bid to retain the 23-year-old.
“It’s the final game this week. Once we have got that out of the way then we will sit down as a leadership group and talk to Dion as well, work out what the next step is for Dion, for Jaeger and our football club,” Ablett said.
Ablett refused to be drawn into any fallout from O’Meara’s decision to leave the club after what the Brownlow medallist described as an “emotional” speech by the departing midfielder to his teammates on Thursday.
Ablett has been sidelined since the start of July after injuring his left shoulder while trying to tackle Brisbane’s Mitch Robinson in Round 16.
The 32-year-old underwent latarjet surgery at the end of last month and is hopeful of beginning the process of strengthening the shoulder and running soon.
Ablett said he was open to discussing a move into the forward line with coach Rodney Eade upon his return but was confident he could still play his best football in the midfield.
“It’s not something I have thought about too much,” Ablett said.
“I’ll sit down with Rocket (Eade) going into next pre-season and work out where he thinks, or what position best suits me and the team.
“I still feel like I have got plenty of good football left in me so hopefully I can still get up in the midfield and help these younger boys out.”
Ablett said he was still confident the Suns had the spine and list to make the finals next year while the added experience of midfielders like Touk Miller and Aaron Hall have got this year will add to the team’s depth despite O’Meara leaving.
Steven May will be robbed of the chance to line up directly against former teammate Charlie Dixon tonight with the Port Adelaide forward sidelined with an ankle injury.
Ablett said disappointing losses to Essendon and Collingwood in the past two weeks had derailed a positive second half of the season and stressed the importance of taking momentum into the preseason with final round win.
Originally published as Gold Coast leadership group to have one final shot at convincing Dion Prestia to stay
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