IT’S hard to imagine a Golden Square without Jody Richards.
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And luckily for the Bulldogs, the trusty goal shooter and tireless club volunteer has never had cause to contemplate a life without Golden Square.
Two decades after joining the Bulldogs - and six premierships and three children later - Richards will this weekend play her 300th game in the blue and gold.
She will do so in the Bulldogs’ A-reserve clash against South Bendigo at Wade Street.
Richards will have little time to reflect on the magical 300-game milestone during the encounter against the Bloods. As well as playing, Richards is her team’s coach.
The Bulldogs sharpshooter has totalled 19 seasons since her debut in 1997, missing just three along the way for the birth of her daughters Olivia, Elise and Ava.
She considers herself fortunate to have played at such a strong club and credits the supportive environment at Golden Square and the backing of family as keys to her longevity in the game.
There’s an obvious pride too that when the end to her netball career eventually comes, she will forever be remembered as a one-club player.
“I’ve enjoyed being part of a team and being active and still do – and that competitive spirit is still there,” Richards said.
“Golden Square has been the only club I have played at since I have been in Bendigo and I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.
“I’ve liked showing the loyalty to the club that the club has shown me.
“We have had a pretty good core (of players) over the years and there’s plenty I have played well over 100 games and even 150 and 200 games with and I am still really good friends with a lot of those players.”
More than 200 of her games have been played in A-grade, the obvious standout being a grand final win in 2008.
Richards captained the Bulldogs’ A-reserve team for their three-peat of premierships between 2014 and 2016 and was an assistant coach for the club’s 2011 and 2015 A-grade premiership wins.
Her personal awards include being runner-up in the league’s A-reserve best and fairest in 2015.
Richards’ contribution has been equally impressive off the court, including stints as a committee member, netball liaison officer and club sponsor, and as a calming influence and mentor to the Bulldogs’ younger generation of players.
She continues to serve the club as a playing-coach, a role she sees as challenging and rewarding.
“I’m still working closely with Kendyl (Hopley), who is now A-grade coach, but coached those A-reserve premierships,” she said.
“I guess that’s why I stepped up to do it because it’s the first time I’ve been a playing coach.
“The girls are responding well, which is all I can ask for. We’re still a little numb after a draw last week (against Eaglehawk), but we’ve learned from that and as long as you learn, that always holds you in good stead for the next week.”
Richards praised the support of her family, both near and far, in supporting her decision to continue as a player.
These include husband Chris, who she met through Golden Square, three daughters – two who are now playing junior netball for the Bulldogs - and her mum and dad, who will travel from Adelaide for the occasion, just as they did when Richards played her first game for the club in 1997.
Her 300-game milestone earns Richards life membership of the BFNL.
She will join Maryborough’s Alisha Chadwick (2014) and Alicia Cassidy (2015), Castlemaine’s Katrina Walters (2015) and her long-time Bulldogs team-mate Lia Marrone (2017) as a member of a very exclusive club of netballers to be awarded life membership.
Complementing her Golden Square life membership awarded in 2012, Richards views the honour as something quite special.
“There are not too many honours like that bestowed - they don’t hand out life membership easily,” she said.
“It’s been a long-time coming; I started in ’97 and for anyone to play that many games and keep coming back, it’s hard work at any level.
“It takes a lot of commitment, especially when you have three kids along the way.
“But it makes you feel lucky to be able to back-up each week.”