Laurie Richards
Encyclopedia
Laurie James Richards is a former Australian rules football
er who played with West Perth
in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL), Fitzroy
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) and Woodville
in the South Australian National Football League
(SANFL).
Richards, a forward known for his high flying marks, was West Perth's leading goal-kicker with 36 goals in 1966, his first league season. He contributed largely to their 1969 premiership, with seven goals in the grand final against East Perth
and 72 for the season, topping the goal-kicking for a second occasion.
He was recruited to Fitzroy for the 1971 VFL season
and would be used by the club both at centre half-forward and on the ball. After kicking three goals on debut, Richards went on to make a total of 14 appearances that year and over the next three seasons played 65 of a possible 66 games. Richards was runner-up in Fitzroy's 1972 "Best and Fairest" and represented the VFL at interstate football in 1973. A vice-captain, he took 125 marks for Fitzroy in 1974, with the next best player from his club managing just 76. He also kicked 24 goals for the season, averaged just under 17 disposals a game and was his club's second best performer at the Brownlow Medal count with eight votes.
In 1975 he was on the move again, joining Woodville, with whom he spent three seasons before returning to Western Australia and playing two further WANFL seasons for West Perth. He finished his career back at Woodville where, aged 34, he kicked 26 goals from 18 appearances in 1981.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with West Perth
West Perth Football Club
The West Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Falcons, is an Australian rules football club located in Joondalup, Western Australia, competing in the West Australian Football League . It is the oldest existing Australian rules football club in Western Australia. It competes in the West Australian...
in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL), Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL) and Woodville
Woodville Football Club
Woodville Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in the South Australian National Football League from 1964 to 1990, when it merged with the West Torrens Football Club to form the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles....
in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(SANFL).
Richards, a forward known for his high flying marks, was West Perth's leading goal-kicker with 36 goals in 1966, his first league season. He contributed largely to their 1969 premiership, with seven goals in the grand final against East Perth
East Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
and 72 for the season, topping the goal-kicking for a second occasion.
He was recruited to Fitzroy for the 1971 VFL season
1971 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1971.-Premiership season:In 1971, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...
and would be used by the club both at centre half-forward and on the ball. After kicking three goals on debut, Richards went on to make a total of 14 appearances that year and over the next three seasons played 65 of a possible 66 games. Richards was runner-up in Fitzroy's 1972 "Best and Fairest" and represented the VFL at interstate football in 1973. A vice-captain, he took 125 marks for Fitzroy in 1974, with the next best player from his club managing just 76. He also kicked 24 goals for the season, averaged just under 17 disposals a game and was his club's second best performer at the Brownlow Medal count with eight votes.
In 1975 he was on the move again, joining Woodville, with whom he spent three seasons before returning to Western Australia and playing two further WANFL seasons for West Perth. He finished his career back at Woodville where, aged 34, he kicked 26 goals from 18 appearances in 1981.