Ric Dalby

Eric "Ric" Dalby is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Home and Away, portrayed by actor Mark Furze since September 2004.

Alf's long-lost grandson
When Ric's mother died, his father Owen turned to alcohol as a means of dealing with his grief. His drunken aggression was taken out on Ric. For years, Ric was subjected to both physical and emotional abuse from his father.

Although he grew up terrified of his father, Ric himself took great pleasure in bullying other students at school. Ric was unpopular at Yabbie Creek High School and was eventually expelled. Barry Hyde (Ivar Kants), the principal of Summer Bay High, was keen to have a strong swimmer for the school’s swim team, so Ric became a student at Summer Bay High.

Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher), who had always clashed with Ric, was amazed to discover that the Ric was his grandson. He tried to reach out to Ric, who resisted at first, but Matilda Hunter (Indiana Evans) developed a friendship with him and convinced him that Alf was the only family he had left. Ric then accepted Alf as his grandfather, but preferred to live with Sally Fletcher (Kate Ritchie) and Flynn Saunders (Joel McIlroy) as a family.

Following Flynn's death, Ric was expelled from Summer Bay High after it was discovered that he had bought and used a stolen exam paper to get through his exams. Although a place was found for him at another school, Ric decided to leave full-time education altogether, despite the family's disappointment. When Ric began an apprenticeship with a car mechanic firm, he was subjected to workplace bullying from Dominic, one of his co-workers and the nephew of Ric's boss, Ray. Dominic played a variety of extremely nasty and dangerous practical jokes on Ric – such as pouring battery acid over his legs, for example – and it was only after Dominic's latest prank went badly wrong, resulting in a car held up on a faulty jack falling on top of Ric and his being admitted to hospital with potentially serious crush injuries, that Ray decided enough was enough, and finally sacked the bullying mechanic. With that behind him, he is now focusing on a new "taking-it-slow" relationship with Matilda Hunter.

In February 2007, when Rocco Cooper was attacked and later died in hospital, Ric was the prime suspect. Ric was found guilty by the jury of Rocco's murder and sentenced to eighteen years imprisonment, but was later released after evidence revealing that one of Johnny's gang members killed Rocco.

Following her mother's death in a car crash, Matilda was in absolute despair. This led to her nearly drowning in the sea. Fortunately, Ric was able to get there in time to rescue her, along with Lily, who had originally rushed to help her and had been knocked out in the water in the process.

Ric has diabetes (which is rarely mentioned on the show, as it is difficult to work into the storylines), which he keeps under control with regular injections of insulin. However, his diabetes can cause him health problems, as was seen when he was admitted to hospital with severe acid burns to his legs caused by Dominic.

Ric continues to live in the Van Park House with mum Sally, along with Alf, sister Pippa, his foster sister (and bizarrely one-time girlfriend) Cassie Turner (Sharni Vinson), and on occasion his great-aunt Morag Bellingam (Cornelia Frances).

Ric and his girlfriend, Mattie, are having relationship problems as Ric saw Reuben kissing his girlfriend while at a party at Sally's house. However Mattie turned him away!

Soon Matilda left with Reuben and although Ric soon tracked the pair down, Matilda told him that she was old enough to make her own decisions.
However, Matilda "Mattie" Hunter moved back to the Bay, and she might be moving in with Ric. But she then moved in with Martha, however this was short lived and moved back with Tony and Lucas.

He's recently been involved in a storyline with a married woman named Viv Anderson. This results in the break up of him and Mattie on the night of the formal. After he goes to Viv's caravan and kisses her passionately then sleeps with her, The next morning he deeply regrets it as he still loves Mattie. Cassie then finds out about last night just when Matilda and Ric get back togther and decides not to tell her best friend.

Following their break-up, the 2008 season will see Ric receive a love rival in the form of Roman. It has also been speculated that this storyline could tie in with his possible departure, as actor Mark Furze's contract runs out in mid-2008 and it is possible he may not choose to extend it because of his recent success in his music career with his band, Charger.

Family Tree

*Celia Stewart (great aunt)
*Morag Stewart (great aunt) married to Richard Bellingham (great uncle) and had a one night stand with Donald Fisher
**Bobby Simpson (first cousin once removed, deceased) married to Frank Morgan and Greg Marshall
***Sam Marshall (adoptive second cousin)
*Alfred Stewart (grandfather) married to Martha Baldivis (step-grandmother, deceased), and Ailsa Hogan (step-grandmother, deceased) and had a relationship with Viv Standish (grandmother, deceased)
**Owen Dalby (father, deceased) married to Maggie Dalby (mother, deceased)
**Sally Fletcher(Adoptive mother) married to Flynn Saunders (Adoptive father, deceased)
***Eric Dalby
***Pippa Saunders (Adoptive sister)
***Cassie Turner (Foster sister)
**Ruth Stewart (aunt) had a relationship with Brett Macklin
***Martha MacKenzie (cousin) married to Jack Holden (cousin-in-law, divorced)
**Duncan Stewart (uncle)
*Barbara Stewart (great-aunt) married to Donald Fisher(great-uncle, divorced)
**Alan Fisher (first cousin once removed, deceased) had a relationship with Anna Miller
***Sebastian Miller (second cousin)
**Rebecca Fisher (first cousin once removed) married to Travis Nash

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