The country rugby league community has wrapped its arms around the Forbes Magpies in the wake of the sudden death of rising star Dane Richards.
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Richards took his own life on Sunday, May 25, and the tragic loss has been felt by his club, community and the wider region.
A Yenda junior who also previously played for Rankins Springs, 18-year-old Richards was a student at Red Bend Catholic College at Forbes and was an exciting back-rower for the Magpies' under 18s side who had a number of representative achievement to his name.
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Described as a "great player and a great kid", Richards' number 12 jersey has been retired by the Magpies' junior side for the rest of the season as a mark of respect.
"He was a popular kid and he was respectful and you'd never get too much out him, really," Forbes president Matt Jack said.
"You'd see him and a few boys walking past and you'd get a 'g'day, how are you going?' and it was just a casual swagger around.
"He was just a good kid. He was happy to play first grade or reserve grade or help out where he could. He played Western Rams and stuff like that and there were some NRL clubs sniffing around him, so he had the world at his feet in that regards.
"He was just a really good young bloke."
![Dane Richards goes in to score for the Group 11 representative side at Blayney earlier this year. Picture by Jude Keogh Dane Richards goes in to score for the Group 11 representative side at Blayney earlier this year. Picture by Jude Keogh](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dCXpDgwTEgA52iNCe5aWtJ/4286eb90-34de-4c77-b493-39a662468d06.jpg/r360_0_6392_3391_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Almost immediately early last week, people were reaching out to Jack and the Magpies with messages of support.
NSW Rugby League officials and Group 11 board members were among them while the Parkes Spacemen, fierce rivals of Forbes, held a minute's silence prior to their match with Lithgow and under 18s players also released balloons as a tribute.
Richards was also honoured by his former clubs Yenda and Rankins Springs on the weekend with a minute's silence held in the Proton Community Cup.
The Forbes Platypi Rugby Union Club's home fixtures against Cowra on Saturday were hugely emotional, as Richards' under 18s teammates supported the women's team, which features players who also represent the Magpies' league tag side.
![The Parkes Spacemen released balloons prior to their under 18s match on Saturday. Picture supplied/Parkes Spacemen Rugby League Page Facebook The Parkes Spacemen released balloons prior to their under 18s match on Saturday. Picture supplied/Parkes Spacemen Rugby League Page Facebook](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dCXpDgwTEgA52iNCe5aWtJ/84c456ec-3aa5-4031-9a58-8ce609154cbc.jpg/r59_441_1902_1538_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
One of the biggest pillars of support has been the Boys to the Bush organisation.
A group which works to help young men in regional areas, the Boys to the Bush Forbes team gathered many of Richards' schoolmates and teammates together last week so they could be together and will also be taking a bus to Griffith on Wednesday, July 5, for the funeral.
Red Bend and the Magpies will also take buses to the funeral, with one bus company in the town offering up a 45-seater free of charge.
Jack said the effort of Orange Hawks, Forbes' opponents on Sunday, was also appreciated.
The Magpies juniors opted not to play on Sunday and rather than let it be recorded as a Magpies forfeit, Hawks declared the match a draw.
Hawks suffered their own loss when teenager Mason Pollack died in 2021 and Jack said the Orange club was a help on Sunday while discussing how raw that remains for them.
"A big thanks goes to Boys to the Bush and just the whole community," Jack said.
"It's a pretty big talking point in a small town like Forbes and the offers for help and support have been fantastic and other clubs and NSW Rugby League and the Group 11 board have reached out and it's really positive to know everyone is behind you."
![Dane Richards (centre) had a number of first grade appearances at Forbes under his belt. File picture Dane Richards (centre) had a number of first grade appearances at Forbes under his belt. File picture](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dCXpDgwTEgA52iNCe5aWtJ/95991eee-6ff3-4073-9725-ef28b69dcdd2.jpeg/r1327_362_3248_1596_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Forbes under 18s will return to the field on Sunday during what is expected to be an emotional day at Spooner Oval.
That fixture will come just four days after the funeral, at which players from Yenda and Forbes will wear their jerseys and form a guard of honour.
"Footy is not the important thing," Jack added.
"Sometimes you've got to look at it and it is just a game and there's more important things going on.
"Obviously, we just want everyone to know, to chat to each other if you are ever feeling down.
"We don't want to see this again or as little as possible. We need to have a chat to one another and check in on one another."
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
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