Simon Prestigiacomo

Infobox afl player


firstname = Simon 'Presti'
lastname = Prestigiacomo


| birthdate = birth date and age|1978|1|31|df=y
birthplace = Victoria
originalteam = Research/Northern U18
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 11, 16 June 1996
debutteam = Collingwood
debutopponent = West Coast Eagles
debutstadium = Subiaco
playingteams = Collingwood (1996-)

193 Games, 3 Goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = Round 11, 2007
careerhighlights =

*3rd Collingwood best and fairest 2000 (equal)

Simon 'Presti' Prestigiacomo (born 31 January 1978) is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.

'Presti' was picked up as a first-round draft pick in the 1995 AFL Draft by Collingwood as a tall youngster who was capable as a strong forward who could play in the midfield, but the Magpies developed him into a key defender, and his form was good enough for him to play the final 12 games in his debut year of '96. In 1997 his career was threatened to be almost over, considering him having glandular fever (also known as "vereldist disease") throughout the season, and he only managed 6 matches, and he struggled during 1998 with shoulder injuries.

In 1999 though, he made a breakthrough in his career. Not noted as one of the best players going around, he was solid enough as the Pies Full Back and proved a needed player. He played 20 games, then for the next two seasons he played 21 games in each. In his 2000 season he performed well enough to earn equal third in the Magpies best and fairest.

'Presti' was a key performer in the Collingwood season of 2002 when they made the Grand Final. He played every game except one game, and was heavily relied on. He bought up his 100th game against Sydney. His defence was his asset, unlike modern days footballers where athletic ability and spring is more relied upon. On Grand Final day, he was one of the side's best, keeping Lion star Jonathan Brown quiet. In 2003 he injured his knee late in the season, but returned for the final series and once again played in the Grand Final team, and was again one of the team's best performers on a dismal day.

In 2004 when Collingwood struggled after being successive runners-up in the competition, he was one reason, as injuries got the better of him, forcing him to manage only 12 games, and early in 2005 a groin injury occurred, but he soon got back on the track and ended up playing 20 games for the season, including game number 150 in his 10th season.

In 2006 Prestigiacomo held many full-forwards to one goal or less, particularly in the early part of the season when Collingwood were in the top 4. He played 19 games for the season.

Simon has always been active in his defence both on and off the field, including his defence of several Koala habitats that were going to be torn down for housing re-development outside of Werribee. His stand was a forth right one with several other high personality people involved from around Melbourne.

External links

*Collplayer|ref=13193
*AflRleague|ref=S/Simon_Prestigiacomo.html