The Bendigo Spirit and Golden Square netball star underwent plantar fascia surgery recently and will be sidelined for anywhere between six and 10 weeks.

“It’s the same foot that was hurting me at the end of last WNBL season,’’ Richards said on Monday.

“After the WNBL season I tried every non-operative process I could to fix it. It just wasn’t responding, so I had to go in and have an operation.

“I bit the bullet and had the operation so that I would have enough time to, hopefully, get back for netball finals and the start of the WNBL season.

“Tomorrow marks two weeks since the operation and I’ll see my surgeon to get the stitches removed.”

The WNBL season starts in early October – one week after the BFNL netball grand final.

“They (doctors) don’t usually operate on these injuries unless they’re really bad,’’ Richards said.

“That’s why I tried the non-operative stuff. If I had have had the operation at the end of the last WNBL season I’d be fine now.”

Richards is the most dominant goal shooter in the BFNL and her absence will hurt Golden Square in crucial upcoming games against premiership rivals Sandhurst and Kangaroo Flat.

Helping Richards’ cause is the Bulldogs are well-placed to make the top three and earn a double chance in the finals.

From a basketball point of view, Richards and Kelsey Griffin will headline a new-look Bendigo Spirit squad.

With Kelly Wilson, Belinda Snell and Joy Burke all departed, the Spirit have signed two new imports – Canadian forward Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe and US point guard Blake Dietrick.

“Both imports come highly credentialed and, hopefully, they’ll fit into our style of basketball,’’ Richards said.

“We’ve got a decent bunch of new girls coming and it should be an exciting time for us.”