Dion Prestia's dad, Osi, has a favourite AFL player.

But funnily enough, it's not his son.

Instead, the Demons-mad Prestia family love Steven May, a long-time friend of Dion's from their early days together at the Gold Coast Suns.

Raised in Craigieburn in Melbourne's north, Prestia's life revolved around the Demons, family and footy.

Growing up his with parents and his two sisters, his time was spent playing footy for West Lalor Junior Football Club and Greenvale, where his father became a prominent coaching figure in his early career, teaching him more than just the game.

"He was a pretty big influence on my career. It was the best thing (having him coach me). I'll hopefully go into coaching when I finish," Prestia told Konrad Marshall in episode five of Konversations with Konrad, which is out now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

"He never put pressure on me to have to perform. He still allowed me to be a kid and a teenager. It wasn't always about footy. It was never the only thing. It was never something that was really forced.

"I like to have fun, it's just a game at the end of the day, that has influenced me a bit."

As for his footballing heroes away from his junior playing days, Prestia loved Melbourne half forward Jeff Farmer, with his family still holding a soft spot for the Dees, which came to light during their 2021 premiership run.

"My family is still Melbourne. I think dad watches more Melbourne games than Richmond games if I'm not in them," Prestia said.

"Even on the Gold Coast, my parents and sisters were all mad Melbourne, my cousins as well.

"When they won the flag in 2021, it was a bit of relief and finally got to see success after over 50 years. Steven May, one of my close mates, got to win one.

"I think he's my dad's favourite player."

As for his own playing career, Prestia was touted as one of the game's rising stars well before he got drafted. But he knew his fate was likely sealed when Gold Coast became the league's 17th team, leaving him with no choice on where he got drafted before the 2011 season.

The newly formed Suns were just months away from their inception into the AFL, with Prestia being selected with pick nine in the 2010 AFL draft.

His high selection, although expected by some, came as a shock to Prestia, who had battled hamstring troubles throughout his draft season.

"I played some really good footy at the start of the year, then I did my hammy in the second championship game down in Tassie for Vic Metro. The draft was a 'let's hope we get drafted'," he said.

"Once I came back from the injury, I played finals at Calder (Cannons), had a really good finals series. The midfield was Cam Guthrie from Geelong, Mitch Wallis and Tom Liberatore. Our team was stacked and we won the premiership that year.

"I got invited up to the Coast for the draft. I think that was the first time they televised it. Found out a few days before that I was going to go to the Gold Coast. I just wanted to get drafted, I didn't care where I went."

It didn't take long for the midfielder to stake his claim in the young Suns team, led by Gary Ablett Jr, with high hopes of building a list for sustained future success.

His first game of AFL was also Gold Coast's inaugural match in Round 2 of the 2011 season, against Carlton, starting with a bye the week before.

Entering with high hopes of a win, a reality check was the first thing the Suns were served.

"We thought we were a massive chance, first game, so much unknown and I think we lost by about 130 points," Prestia recounted.

"I remember I got tackled by Chris Judd and he was someone I looked up to as a young kid. I was just thinking, 'this is crazy that this is happening'."

The Suns only won three games in their inaugural season.

Prestia would go on to play 95 games for Gold Coast, finishing up at the end of the 2016 season, before homesickness took over and the urge to play in front of a Victorian crowd.

"I always wanted to come back and play in Melbourne. I wanted to come back and play at the MCG. I wanted that to be my home ground," he said.

"I gave Gold Coast six years. I was 23, in my prime."

When Prestia hurt his knee at the back end of the 2016 season, he met former Richmond coach Damien Hardwick, as well as Hawthorn premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, with a life changing decision to make.

Would he go to the Club who had already reached the promised land in Hawthorn? Or would he head to Punt Road, with nothing but a dream of being part of something great, but with no proof that it could come true?

"Once I sat down with my manager and my family, we just thought that Richmond had an off year. You look at the list and it had Alex Rance, Jack Riewoldt, Shane Edwards," he said.

"I wanted to go and play with Dustin (Martin) and Trent (Cotchin). That was my main drag to the Club, to play with those two boys.

"Hawthorn was going to be a struggle. Everything just lined up perfectly for Richmond."

His first game in the yellow and black was Round 1 of the 2017 season, against Carlton and in front of 73,000 at the MCG. Seven years into his AFL career, it was the biggest crowd Prestia had played in front of.

"Everything about that game was what I imagined AFL footy being like," he said.

That first season for Prestia at Tigerland was all he imagined and more, eventuating in a drought-breaking premiership that September.

But he didn't settle from the get-go in a star-studded side.

"It took me a while to get used to the system and terminology and where to go. I probably didn't have the best start, so I started getting some run-with roles," Prestia said.

"That whole 2017 finals series was crazy. It will be hard for another team to go through that and have that feeling of being the underdogs and no one expecting us to go far.

"It was an incredible four weeks."

Prestia was part of the next two Richmond premierships in 2019 and 2020.

And while the changing of the guard at Punt Road has been major, it hasn't dampened his love for Richmond and the urge to give back to the next generation of Tigers.

Prestia also spends his time coaching and leading debutants, helping them to understand and take in the privilege of playing Australian Rules at the highest level.

"That's what I say to every debutant, cause I don't really remember much. Just take it in," he said.

"We do a lot more work in the mental side of the space than we did 15 years ago, but it's something I try to pass on to the new boys."

Join Konrad Marshall every second Wednesday for Konversations with Konrad.