Richters breaks another record

LANDMARKS are leaping out of the record books at Damian Richters. The durable Dolphins centre last month racked up 100 first grade fixtures for the club, joining an elite group of players to make three figures. "I never expected to make 100 games when I joined the club,'' he said. "It's not something you think about really. It's not a bad achievement as it's not a really big group who have made the hundred. "I'm not really a player who looks at records and sets his mind on breaking them.'' With that in mind, Richters should not have too many worries as he zeroes in on 1000 points in the Queensland Cup. He already has passed 900 points and an injury-free run for the remainder of the season should see become the first player in Cup history to reach the magical mark. Richters played his 100th match for the red and whites against Souths at Dolphin Oval last month, a fixture also significant for the Dolphins breaking their losing run emphatically. "Making a thousand points will be one of those things that happen,'' he said. "I know that I passed 900 points in my career against Easts, so to make 1000 will be great.'' Richters also holds the record for most points scored in an individual Queensland Cup fixture. In a 88-0 belting of Logan in 2002, he nailed 40 points with five tries and 10 goals. "These records tend to take care of themselves,'' he said. "The points just keep tallying up.'' Richters was keener to talk up the Dolphins chances this year than concentrate on his personal achievements. "We might have lost four on the trot, but you always have to lose some time during a season,'' he said. "But apart from the first two matches in that string, we have been competitive and the efforts against Burleigh and Wynnum were good.'' Richters is a firm believer in the theory that the Cup competition is hotting up. He said that after his side's victory over Souths, only two points separated the top spot from seventh-placed Redcliffe. "It's certainly not a crisis as we are going alright,'' he said. "We've had a few injuries, but we're not in a dire situation. We could have been in a worse situation.'' Richters' form this season has been consistent enough for him to be selected in the City side to tackle Barcaldine, although he pulled out of the squad. "It was a mix of things, including work, which saw me drop out," he said. "At least it means I get a week off." Injuries have not dogged Richters this season after missing a large slice of the action last season with a torn quad muscle. "I've been kicking alright too," he said. "Even though I missed four against Souths, my kicking's been good. "I normally practise at our last session of the week and how long depends on how I'm striking them. It could be 15 minutes or 30 minutes." In his seventh season with the club, Richters played only one fixture in his first season at Dolphin Oval while a broken bone in his leg ruined his second year, but since then he has accumulated a fine record, including multiple wins of the Ian "Bunny" Pearce Perpetual Trophy as highest points scorer in the club for a season. As for the future, Richters is quite content to take the "one game at a time" philosophy. "I've had a good run recently so it will be week by week," he said.