When the 1910 West Coast team travelled to Blenheim to challenge Marlborough for the Seddon Shield, they did so on the steamer the Alexander, departing Greymouth in the morning of Thursday the 15th of September, arriving in Picton at 10.45am on the Friday, before travelling by coach to Blenheim in the afternoon.

Of the sailing, the voyage seemed a relaxing, enjoyable, incident free one for the team, with the Grey River Argus reporting that the players "had a very smooth passage", and that "the team proved very good sailors, suffering very little from seasickness".

One player however decided not to sail, intending instead to travel overland via coach.  His journey however, would prove to be an incredible test of endurance, and one of quite unbelievable determination, in going to extreme lengths just to join his team-mates and pull on the prized red and white West Coast jersey.

Richard "Dick" Power, departed Greymouth by coach two days before his team-mates, on the Tuesday, and got as far as Murchison before an onset of what was described as a "bilious attack", or travel sickness, got the better of him. Feeling unwell, he decided to rest there on the Wednesday and spend the night, but as he felt better on the Thursday morning, decided to continue on his journey to Blenheim to join his team-mates for the crucial Seddon Shield clash.

But Power didn't continue his travels via coach, possibly left with no other alternatives, incredibly he procured a bicycle and set off on an arduous journey to Nelson, traversing the challenging and hilly road, a distance of 83 miles (133 kilometers), arriving there at 7.00pm, after an astonishing nine hours on his bike.

Power spent the Thursday night in Nelson, and on the Friday morning at 7.00am, he set off to Blenheim by coach, finally arriving there at 6.00pm in the evening. The Grey River Argus reported that upon his arrival he was "received with cheers from the team" and that he was "feeling splendid and quite ready for the battle".

Sadly for Power and his team-mates, despite the scores being locked up at 0-0 at half time, West Coast couldn't quite wrestle the prized Seddon Shield from Marlborough's grasp, losing 10-8 in a very tense battle.

On the return trip, Power travelled with his team-mates as far as Picton, intending to further travel with them by steamer to Westport for the teams final fixture of the season against Buller, but he altered his mind, and decided to stick to travelling by land for the remainder of the journey home.

While no reports of him requiring the use of a bicycle were reported on his way home to Greymouth, it's hoped his journey home was far less eventful as his journey there.

With Power deciding to travel home alone following the Marlborough fixture, this would mean he'd forego the opportunity to play in the Buller match, incidentally bringing an end to his representative career for West Coast.

In total, Power, a forward who played his club Rugby for both the Greymouth and United clubs throughout his career, played 5 games for West Coast, playing representative games in 1905, 07 and 1910, where he'd win two, lose two and draw one of the games he played in.

While many other West Coast players may have played many more games, and had longer representative careers than Power throughout West Coast's rich and storied past, the story of Power's determination and resolve to make the incredible journey he did to wear the prized red and white jersey, would take some beating.