Highlighting the “Bridgy brotherhood”, Prest’s team-mates all helped contribute from their match payments the money required for Bridgewater to appeal the severity of a late-season four-game suspension that had it stood, would have ruled Prest out of the grand final.

But after a successful appeal, the suspension for striking Inglewood’s Craig Crichton was cut back to two games, with Prest making the most of his lifeline by earning the best on ground medal in the Mean Machine’s 56-point win over Mitiamo.

Wingman Prest kicked three goals to go with 19 possessions and eight marks in the 17.14 (116) to 8.12 (60) win at Newbridge.

“It means a lot what the boys did for me by putting money towards the appeal, so I knew I had to put all my effort in today and it’s great to get the win,” said Prest, who is now a three-time premiership player.