It's so good to see our Presti finally play more games than letters in his surname. Amazing to think that nine years ago, he came to the club as our next "gun forward", and started at full forward in the Lightning Premiership, kicking a few goals against Essendon. However, Senior football was not so easy, and he failed to kick a goal until his third season, against West Coast in round 17 1998. He backed it up with another the next week against the Bulldogs (Tony Shaw figured that he was costing us so many goals at one end, maybe the same would work at the other end but for us!), but that was the extent of his goalkicking prowess for another four year.
In that time, he became a much maligned full back. Really only taking the job because there was nobody else good enough (and that's a scary thought in itself), young Simon didn't let his (seemingly apparent - to both opposition supporters and most Collingwood supporters) lack of skill stop him, and proceeded to put in servicable game after servicable game.
With the inclusion of James Clement and Shane Wakelin (and to a lesser extent Jason Cloke), Collingwood started to piece together their famous backline that held them so well in 2002-03, and also in 2005.
By 2002, he was considered (within the club anyways) an excellent defender (although one that still could not kick), and celebrated his 100th game in style, holding Barry Hall goalless, while the Pies came from behind to defeat Sydney on the back of Chris Tarrant's last quarter heroics.
He was able to be a part of the Collingwood record win against Carlton by scoring his third (and to date last) goal later that year also.
His game has continued to go from strength to strength (even his kicking has been much improved), to the point where opposition supporters are starting to notice him as more than "the Collingwood backman with the unpronouncable last name who should never have got Daicos' Number 35 jumper". A highlight of this season (and possibly his career) would be the screamer over Richo (a "great" player that Presti would have had more wins than losses over the years), and it would be a brave person to suggest that (barring injuries) he won't make it to 200, and possibly even more.
Simon Prestigiacomo, I salute you!
In that time, he became a much maligned full back. Really only taking the job because there was nobody else good enough (and that's a scary thought in itself), young Simon didn't let his (seemingly apparent - to both opposition supporters and most Collingwood supporters) lack of skill stop him, and proceeded to put in servicable game after servicable game.
With the inclusion of James Clement and Shane Wakelin (and to a lesser extent Jason Cloke), Collingwood started to piece together their famous backline that held them so well in 2002-03, and also in 2005.
By 2002, he was considered (within the club anyways) an excellent defender (although one that still could not kick), and celebrated his 100th game in style, holding Barry Hall goalless, while the Pies came from behind to defeat Sydney on the back of Chris Tarrant's last quarter heroics.
He was able to be a part of the Collingwood record win against Carlton by scoring his third (and to date last) goal later that year also.
His game has continued to go from strength to strength (even his kicking has been much improved), to the point where opposition supporters are starting to notice him as more than "the Collingwood backman with the unpronouncable last name who should never have got Daicos' Number 35 jumper". A highlight of this season (and possibly his career) would be the screamer over Richo (a "great" player that Presti would have had more wins than losses over the years), and it would be a brave person to suggest that (barring injuries) he won't make it to 200, and possibly even more.
Simon Prestigiacomo, I salute you!
