Think of high fliers(especially if you are a West Perth supporter) and you’ll think of Laurie Richards. Richards thrilled football fans with exhilarating high marking highlights in the sixties and seventies wherever and whenever he played,starring in three States.Richards wasn’t merely a good aerialist, he was a talented ground player and ball getter, who spent a lot of his time, particularly in the VFL, in the midfield.The freakish South Fremantle forward John Gerovich was winding up his career as Laurie Richards began his, and the West Perth club was hailing Laurie as another version of the high marking genius in 1966.  He topped the Cardinals goalkicking in his first season , at the age of nineteen, with 36 majors in his first season.Although his marking ability made him an obvious goalsneak, it wasn’t long before the West Perth coaching heirachy saw qualities in him that could be better used elsewhere, and he soon found himself in the midfield and running on the ball.Richards had a career changing season in his third year, in 1969, when his 72 goals contributed hugely to West Perth’s premiership. Saving his best for the grand final, the East Perth defenders were bystanders as he took some of his best grabs on the way to a seven goal haul.   He became a recruiting target for VFL clubs, and, signing with Fitzroy, Richards lined up with the Roys in 1971. Richards spent three fruitful years there, being runner up for fairest and best in 1972, selected in the Victorian State side in 1973, and was also made vice captain of the Lions in 73.    Although he spent much of his playing time with Fitzroy on the ball, Laurie still managed to exhibit his goalkicking wares by booting 69 goals during his 79 games. Richards was then lured over the border by the South Australian club, Woodville, enjoying two seasons with them, with 38 goals from 32 appearances. Laurie Richards was back home like the prodigal son in 1977, as a thirty year old, and the intervening seven years between appearances had not diminished his form, acknowledged by the State selectors when they named him in WA’s side to meet Victoria at Subiaco in 1978. Just when he was expected to hang up the boots at the age of 33 in 1980, Richards surprised by returning to Woodville for an encore and played sixteen games in the 1981 season. All in all, he played 119 games with West Perth, 80 for Fitzroy, and 50 at Woodville. Both Fitzroy and Woodville no longer exist under their original entity, Fitzroy becoming part of the Brisbane Lions, and Woodville merging with West Torrens to form the Eagles, but the high flyer is still remembered in those States, while West Perth fans also recall and discuss the spectacular feats of Laurie Richards.