His arrivalRic enrolled into Summer Bay High after he was excluded from Yabbie Creek. He'd had a tough life and it wasn't about to get any easier once he'd arrived in the Bay.
Ric V HenryTheir feud started when Ric found out that Henry would be tap dancing at Noah's concert. From then on, the two didn't get on for months. When Henry found a needle in Ric's locker he accused him of being a drug user, before letting Ric explain that it was infact a spare insulin needle he needed for his diabetes. Later, Robbie and Tasha got Ric into trouble when they planted a map to a marijuana crop in his locker. This resulted in Ric getting a serious beating from his father. Many fights later and Ric and Henry started to put the past behind them when they were teamed up in a PE class. A swimmer was near to drowning in the water but was saved by Ric and Henry's teamwork.
Strewth! Alf's Ric's grandad!Before Viv Standish - Alf's first girlfriend - died, she told him that his son was Owen Dalby, the father of Ric Dalby. Alf was shocked and so was Ric, who had only recently returned from a life on the streets. They had a few run-ins at first, with Alf finding out that his grandson was diabetic, not a drug user, and so Ric moved into Summer Bay House to stay with Sally and Flynn. Eventually they formed a close relationship.
Ric meets CassieArriving on a jetski, Cassie immediately caught Ric's eye. However, after she encouraged him to go skinny dipping, Ric had to cycle home in the nude after she stole his clothes! Returning home with only a small amount of foliage and a garden gnome to protect his modesty, poor Ric was left feeling embarrassed. But us viewers thought it was amusing!
Ric finds Belle in the bush
When Ric found a person running through the bush in a blue hoodie he set out to find this 'mystery' someone. All they left behind was a grey top and a black and white photo of a woman. Curious, Ric took the items and carried on. Later, he, Cassie, Lucas and Matilda found more items left behind by the person. Ric was the only one patient enough to wait around for them and when the person came back, he was asleep and was woken up by the person coming back to take the items. Before Ric could catch up with them, they were off. But it wasn't the last Ric saw of this person. A few days later, he managed to talk to them. The unidentified person turned out to be Belle Taylor - a teen searching for her birth mother.
He supports Sal during Flynn's illness
During the months leading up to Flynn's death, Ric's schoolwork suffered and life became a lot more challenging for both him and Cassie. Flynn had became a father figure to Ric and when the time came he didn't want to go up and see him. However, after a talk with his granddad about it being the last time he would be able to talk to him, Ric decided to say his goodbyes. After a tear-jerking talk with him for the last time, Ric left the room after saying, "I love you, dad".
Ric and Belle
After his split from Cassie, Ric started to date Belle. Their relationship didn't last for long, but Belle helped Ric during the tough times he faced at the garage and persuaded him to speak up about his ordeal.
One of Ric's more major storylines was that of the bullying he went through at the garage by Dom, another mechanic. It wasn't an easy task working at the garage, with Dom pouring acid over his legs and even electrocuting him! Dom got his comeuppance, though, and was sacked by the boss - who was actually his uncle.
Ric/Cassie/ Macca
Ric was devastated when he found out that Cassie had been cheating on him with Macca, and went into his usual mode of bashing him up and telling him what he thought of him. Better times were on the horizon, however, as him and Mattie's friendship started to blossom into something more.
Ric and Matilda start datingWhile they were a popular couple with forum members, Mattie's mum was far from pleased at her daughter's new romance with older guy Ric. With two years age difference between them, Beth felt Ric was just too old for Matilda and would perhaps make her feel like she had to do certain things before she was ready. After a few disagreements, Beth eventually had a change of heart and let her daughter continue seeing Ric.
Ric goes to jailAs if Ric's life hadn't been traumatic enough as it was, he was then sent to jail for Rocco Cooper's murder. Johnny, Rocco's brother, set out to make Ric's life a misery while he was in prison. But after Matilda hatched a cunning plan to prove him innocent and get him out, he was released.
Ric and VivViv Anderson, one of Ric's clients from the garage, didn't take long to cause trouble for him and Mattie. She continued to text him non-stop and this caused Mattie to worry about her and Ric spending time together. After splitting up from Matilda, he then spent the night with Viv. After he and Ric reunited, she was furious with him and called it quits. They couldn't stay away, though, and decided to give their relationship another go. Yet again, Viv popped up in their lives again - this time to reveal she was pregnant. With her husband Noel unable to have kids, Ric was stunned as the revelation he was going to be a father hit him. Matilda couldn't believe it, but agreed to support him and Viv. A few months later, Viv returned with the news that the baby would be born with significant learning and physical disabilities. She told Ric that she was unsure whether she could go ahead but decided that she would.
Ric and the fightclubRic was finding it hard to get by with little money, so when Noel offered him a job at a fightclub, where he would earn thousands of dollars, he was tempted. At first, he said no. Later on, though, he agreed and went ahead with a fight. Matilda was livid when she found out but agreed to support Ric when he told her that he needed the money and that he would be careful. But trouble was just ahead, as one of Johnny's old 'mates', Logan, was to battle it out against Ric. Logan told Noel that he'd been waiting for this opportunity, and a terrified Ric knew he had to tell the cops. After telling them where and when it would take place, Ric got into position. After a nail-biting situation, with Viv turning up before the fight, Jack and Fitzy turned up just in time.
Viv loses the babyAfter a tumultuous couple of months, Viv lost the baby. Matilda was supportive and organized a small memorial.
Ric's new job as a security guard gets toughAfter him and Larry Jefferies were held at gunpoint by Kane Phillips, Ric started to suffer from panic attacks. Matilda was concerned and after a professional diagnosis from Rachel he was told that he'd need to take it easy for a while, as his panic attacks were caused by the stress of recent events.
Mattie gets into uni in WAHaving gotten over just about every other hurdle life could throw at them, Ric and Matilda then had yet another one to face - would Mattie give up her chance of going to uni to stay with Ric or would Ric give up working with his granddad at the bait shop to stay with Mattie? It was a heartbreaking decision for them to make, but after going over various ways of staying together, they decided to call it quits. Having asked him if he'd come to her leaving do, Matilda was upset when Ric didn't show. It wasn't out of lack of trying, though. Poor Ric had gotten stuck in the bait shop store cupboard after Alf left the keys outside! After desperately trying to escape from the room to see Matilda, Ric ran off to try and find her. But she'd already gone...
Ric makes it to WA after Alf fires him from the bait shop and gives him a one-way ticket to PerthAs is regular with those living in Summer Bay, the course of love never did run smooth. For Ric and Mattie, however, they managed to ride through the tough times and come out the other end...in another state and city!