Ex-Tiger’s lawyer rips Richmond for not producing medical records

Ty Zantuck's lawyer Greg Griffin has hit out at Richmond for failing to produce medical records over a series of injections given to the ex-Tiger during his time at Punt Road, as reported by SEN. 

Zantuck is looking to make a damages claim against the club, who have no evidence of the 36-year old's medical records following an alleged host of injections of painkillers between 2001-03 due to a nagging back injury.

The former Richmond defender was reportedly injected over 50 times and has required 17 operations on his spine since retiring in 2005.

And Griffin says Tigers' treatment has had appalling consequences on Zantuck's health.

“You don’t have to destroy records and you shouldn’t destroy records because players invariably who suffer from injuries, illnesses and affects from football, they don’t happen within seven years of retirement, they happen 10, 15 and 20 years after retirement,” Griffin told SEN Breakfast.

“For that reason, I’m actually quite appalled that these records don’t exist. He’s in a really difficult position.

“He’s had numerous operations, I think he’s quite frank about it, but he can basically barely work anymore, he’s depressed, he struggles to keep up with his children – it’s had a catastrophic effect on him.

“Quite frankly, I think his body is pretty well buggered."

Zantuck was picked up by the Tigers with pick 78 in the 1999 AFL National Draft and played 77 games for Richmond and Essendon.