It wasn’t Bundoora’s wish to let him go, quite the contrary, but the 2011 Division 1 premiership winner was keen to repay the former Preston Bullant’s long-time service after he announced his departure.
Hyde agonised over ties to his family and football club, but chose the former and followed his father to Greensborough.
Hyde’s father, Robert Hyde, will coach the Slime in 2013.
"You couldn’t wish for a better player, clubman or person. As much of it is a disappointment to lose him, we totally understand where he stood," Richards told Leader.
"We weren’t going to tie it up. We cleared it within seconds of getting it and we wish him all the best."
Bundoora will add skilful former Bomber Ricky Dyson to a flurry of ex-elite Bulls this year, the discarded Essendon midfielder joining Brayden Shaw, Cameron Cloke and Gary Moorcroft as the heavyweight’s star power.
Dyson follows a long list of former professionals to hit the northern ranks, like Nick Stevens and Kayne Pettifer in recent years and Justin Murphy at Heidelberg, and Richards believes the 27-year-old will rival the rap sheet of the competition’s household names.
"He’ll be up there with all of them. Just his voice around the ground, plus he has a penetrating left kick," Richards said.
"We’ve got a couple of the best now with Dyson and Chris Varsamakis. We’ve really got our bases covered in that sense so we’re pretty excited."
Ball winner Varsamakis and former Oak Park ruckman Aaron Lerm are Bundoora’s other prized signings, but Paul Harrison has gone to Whittlesea.
Richards revealed Bundoora has made inquiries of the status of delisted West Coast Eagle rookie and former Bulls junior Michael Mascoulis but the winger is likely to play for West Perth.
