Speaking after keeping Richmond star Jack Riewoldt to just two goals on Saturday, Prestigiacomo said his decision on whether to play on next season could be made easy should the Pies continue on their merry way towards September glory.
But while a Collingwood premiership may be a mighty way for the veteran defender to bow out of AFL football, he isn’t thinking retirement just yet.
“I suppose it hinges on how I go for the rest of the year, and what the club’s outlook is,” Prestigiacomo told collingwoodfc.com.au after the Pies’ 82-point win.
“I’ll just play this year out and worry about that when the time comes.
“If the club’s happy for me to go on and I feel my body’s going all right that might be an option but we’ll just wait and see.
“We’ll get the rest of the season done and hopefully play some good finals and go from there.”
The 32-year-old remembers the heartache of failed 2002 and 2003 grand finals and wants to right the wrongs before he hangs up his boots.
“That’s why I’m sort of playing and continuing on, to have that chance [of winning a premiership],” he said.
“I had a couple of chances earlier on and didn’t come up. As long as we keep playing well and I’m sort of doing my role, I’m really, really happy to hang around and try to achieve that premiership that we’re all aiming for.”
He knows his time may be running out but is confident the Pies have the line-up to go close this year.
While names such as James Clement and Shane Wakelin are now missing, Prestigiacomo remains the backbone of a defence among the stingiest in the AFL.
And the unfashionable backman thinks the newer members of the Pies’ back six are at least on a par with their predecessors.
“I think this backline stacks up pretty well,” he said.
“Back then we had a core group of probably eight or nine guys that rotated through the backline and probably played pretty consistently.
“That’s similar to this group, I suppose.
“We’ve got Nick Maxwell, Heath Shaw, Harry (O'Brien), Reidy (Ben Reid). We’re all pretty constant down there. We know each other’s strengths and how we play ... it’s very similar in that aspect.”
