Ex-Tiger Ty Zantuck’s damages claim [merged]

[one-eyed]

Zantuck’s damages bid hits ‘laughable’ snag

Michael Warner
Herald Sun
13 December 2018

A damages claim launched by former Richmond hardman Ty Zantuck over a spree of painkilling jabs has been hampered by the absence of medical records.

The Tigers have told Zantuck’s legal team they are not in possession of any records relating to treatments on players prior to the 2004 season.

Zantuck, 36, alleges he was injected with painkillers and epidurals up to 50 times over three seasons under the care of ex-Richmond doctor Chris Bradshaw in a bid to overcome a debilitating back injury between 2001-03.

He has endured 17 operations on his spine since retiring from the AFL 12 years ago, can no longer work and is battling permanent pain and depression.

The Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre, where Zantuck was sometimes treated, has told lawyers its records for the 77-game defender were lawfully disposed after seven years.

The AFL Players’ Association said clubs were only obligated to keep records for seven years, in line with legislation.

Zantuck’s lawyer, Greg Griffin, said the seven-year rule was “extraordinary”.

“Everyone in international sport knows that long-term injuries are most likely to appear between 10 and 20 years after retirement,” Griffin said.

“It’s laughable and an indictment on the AFL that they have allowed clubs to have virtually no medical records and histories of players.

“It sits there and says it is the beacon of governance and the beacon of how to run a sport, but they’ve sold the players down the river.

“Ty Zantuck has been sold down the river. No ifs, no buts.

“There really should be a government inquiry into the medical treatment that was dished out by these clubs in the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s.”

Griffin is also leading a looming Federal Court concussion case involving up to 70 ex-players against the AFL and clubs where club medical records will be sought.

Bradshaw, who has since worked at Geelong and Collingwood, had his medical licence suspended over an unrelated matter in October 2017 while employed at the Magpies.

Zantuck, who played 68 games for Richmond and another nine at Essendon in 2005, has warned the AFL’s next generation of players to steer clear of painkilling injections at all costs.

“I’ve laid in hospital for weeks at a time on ketamine and morphine drips and that can just drain the life out of you,” the father of two told the Herald Sun in March.

An AFLPA spokesman said: “We are not involved with Ty’s claim but continue to offer him support available to all past players through our alumni program.”

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/former-richmond-hardman-ty-zantuck-seeking-damages-for-debilitating-back-injury/news-story/9fcdd3a6e1aff8f53eda69d19cdf7fa2

[one-eyed]

Painkillers have had “catastrophic” effect on Zantuck

By SEN
13 Dec 2018

Ty Zantuck’s lawyer Greg Griffin has slammed Richmond for not possessing his client’s medical records following the injection of multiple painkillers during his stint with the Tigers.

Zantuck has sought a damages claim against his former club after being injected with painkillers and epidurals up to 50 times between 2001-03 to overcome a persistent back problem.

The 36-year-old has had 17 operations on his spine since calling time on his AFL career in 2005 that have had enormous consequences on his health and well-being.

“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, who made his AFL debut in 2000, played 77 games for Richmond and Essendon.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/12/12/painkillers-have-had-catastrophic-effect-on-zantuck/

[YellowandBlackBlood]

While I feel sorry for him, I wonder how many of the 50 were epidurals and how many were pain killers. I assume that the majority were pain killers. Over 3 years, that is only 14 to 15 injections per year or less than one per week in a footy season. He would have also asked or at least agreed to the pain killers because all players want to continue to play.....

Also blaming a club after 15 years is drawing a long bow. For all we know he could have had a car accident, gone sky diving etc, etc since.

Of course I wish him all the best. However our society always wants to blame someone rather than take responsibility for the position they find themselves.

[Assange Tiger 😎]

People might laugh but Zanners was actually somewhat important to us in 2002-03.

No idea what really happened, whether he wanted the injections or was assured it was all guchi. But I do know we were an embarrassment back then and it's a shambles that his medical records aren't available.

Good luck to him.

[WilliamPowell]

While I feel sorry for him, I wonder how many of the 50 were epidurals and how many were pain killers. I assume that the majority were pain killers. Over 3 years, that is only 14 to 15 injections per year or less than one per week in a footy season. He would have also asked or at least agreed to the pain killers because all players want to continue to play.....

Also blaming a club after 15 years is drawing a long bow. For all we know he could have had a car accident, gone sky diving etc, etc since.

Of course I wish him all the best. However our society always wants to blame someone rather than take responsibility for the position they find themselves.

 

On top of that, they said even back in Zantuck's playing days player's had to sign a consent form prior to any injection.. so supposedly  he signed and agreed to the treatments 

[MintOnLamb]

It isn't the best situation but in reality many players are stuffed after their career, maybe that is why they get the big $.
In Ty's case he may not have rehabbed correctly, had an injury post footy, or just be predisposed to that condition.
Personally I think it should be move on nothing to see here.

[one-eyed]

Clubs never forced painkilling jabs says Nathan Grima.

SEN
13 Dec 2018

Nathan Grima says retired players must be careful when lashing out at clubs long after their AFL career is over.

The former North Melbourne defender was forced to retire prematurely in 2015 due to a chronic back problem which required three bouts of surgery.

Grima managed to return for one season with Essendon as a top-up player in 2016, but his career at the elite level was over earlier than expected.

It has emerged that Ty Zantuck has launched a damages claim after he was allegedly injected 50 times while at Richmond between 2001 and 2003, but Grima feels it is dangerous territory to solely blame the club.

“I came out with three back operations and chronic back pain, but would I do it all again? In a heartbeat,” the new Sturt coach said on SEN SA Breakfast.

“If I didn’t want to put myself at risk of doing that, I would have done an office job.

“You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

“It’s a weird sport, I guess, because you do it at the front end of your life and achieve everything you’ve set out to by the time you are 30 so I think that’s why a lot of guys get to the back end and feel empty as to what comes next.

“They start feeling pity on things that have happened.

“I think you’ve got be careful coming out the back end. You are around good doctors, and managed as best you can. It’s a contact sport, there’s going to be injuries.

“It’s not the complete fault of the club, you are putting yourself out there like other sports.

“I would never go back at North. I still get best medical care if I need to, and for my wife and kids.

“I can see a club doctor from Essendon or North at any time. They genuinely care so much about you.”

Grima, who played a total of 88 AFL games for the Roos and Dons, said he always had a choice whether or not he received a painkilling injection.

“I got jabbed to play games I shouldn’t have played but it wasn’t the club wanting to do it, it was me as a player wanting to play as many games I could,” he added.

“If they gave me the option to play, even it was 50-50, if you are a competitor you want to get out there.

“Just don’t do it if you don’t want to do it. There’s no shame in not wanting to do it (get jabbed).

“I think it’s getting a bit of a trend for players to come out of the woodwork.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/12/12/clubs-never-forced-painkilling-jabs-says-grima/

[one-eyed]

Zantuck’s mother lashes footy ‘nightmare’

Michael Warner,
Herald Sun
14 December 2016

THE mother of fallen Richmond hardman Ty Zantuck says football has destroyed her son’s life.

Karmene Zantuck, 60, has detailed a trail of destruction she says was inflicted on her family as a result of years of painkilling jabs used to keep Ty on the field.

She has accused the AFL system of mistreating and abandoning her son.

“Ty’s whole life has been ruined through football,” Karmene said.

“They knew that he had stress fractures in his back, but instead of giving him time off to heal, they kept pumping him full of drugs.

“He relied on any sort of medication that they were giving to him to get through daily life.

“We have had to endure watching him struggle through everything.”

Thursday’s Herald Sun revealed a damages claim brought by Zantuck’s lawyers had been hampered by the absence of medical records at the Tigers before 2004.

Zantuck, 36, alleges he was injected with painkillers and epidurals up to 50 times over three seasons under the care of then Richmond doctor Chris Bradshaw from 2001-03.

He played 77 games for the Tigers and Essendon before being delisted in 2005 with a chronic back injury and has since endured 17 operations on his spine.

“He’s never been able to keep a proper job and was forced to try and play local football to get money, because he was so desperate,” Karmene said.

“It’s been an absolute nightmare.

“He needed proper help. You wonder why he’s had all these surgeries and nerve damage to his back. It’s just shocking.”
Ty Zantuck in action for the Tigers in 2003.

Karmene said she had gone to the AFL Players’ Association headquarters in tears “virtually begging for help with his medical bills”.

“He needed more than just a handout,” she said.

“There was never, ever a phone call to say, ‘Oh, how is Ty going?’ No one ever gave a s--- about what happened to him.

“One day one of these kids will commit suicide, because you’ve got no idea what it’s like when players at such an early age get delisted. It was because he was struggling to play football. They wouldn’t give him time to heal and when he got to Essendon, after 12 months they turned around and said, ‘we don’t think you fit in here, see you later’.

“But they knew that he had medical problems.

“If a bloke does his knee, he’s out for 12 months, but he had a bad back and they wouldn’t even give him three months.
Ty Zantuck with sons Jagger and Zepplin earlier this year. Pic: Wayne Taylor

“He hasn’t been an angel … but there was so much pressure on him.”

Karmene said her son “lost everything after he got delisted from Essendon”.

“All of a sudden it just gets pulled from underneath them and the next minute they’re on their own,” she said.

“He lives for his two kids, and I think that’s why he tries so hard to be a good father to them.”

Ty’s father, Shane, played 149 games for North Melbourne, South Melbourne and Melbourne and his uncle Arnold Briedis played in two premierships for the Roos.

Asked whether following in their footsteps was worth the price her son paid, Karmene said: “No way.

“As all parents do, you send your kid down to play football and within three years he’s ended up like a cripple because they never gave him the right medical treatment.

“I’m just so disappointed in the whole system.”

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/ty-zantucks-mother-says-years-of-painkilling-injections-has-ruined-his-life/news-story/5f71e3b27ad8aac127041ec30fcd4816

[Rampsation]

How many clubs did he play for after Richmond including suburban clubs. How do we know the damage happened at Richmond? Can they prove it? How often did he injure himself playing footy after Richmond? How many weeks off did he have to take off at those clubs. You see he has no claim because my understanding is he played a lot of suburban football for years. If I am wrong on that someone will probably tell us on here.

[Andyy]

Epidural to play football? Surely not LOL

[Assange Tiger 😎]

How many clubs did he play for after Richmond including suburban clubs. How do we know the damage happened at Richmond? Can they prove it? How often did he injure himself playing footy after Richmond? How many weeks off did he have to take off at those clubs. You see he has no claim because my understanding is he played a lot of suburban football for years. If I am wrong on that someone will probably tell us on here.

You are correct. Played at quite a number of clubs after his AFL career. Last played a few games in 2014 I believe it was, which means he was obviously functioning well in life at the point to at least get a gallop going. Though his mother claims he only played footy after AFL because he needed the money due to his body not being up to standard when it comes to holding down a job.

I love Ty, always have. There's no doubt AFL had a massive impact on his body and our club treated him poorly, but the fact he's played footy a good 8 years after he left Essendon means this claim will go nowhere. Not to mention the medical records that no longer exist. That should be changed by the way, I see no reason for records to be destroyed after 7 years.
Zanners also could have gotten an education post footy that enabled him to work in a job that doesn't require him to put his body through the ringer.

I hope he gets some kind of assistance from the club but he wasn't the most popular human on the planet in 2004 down at the RFC

[Yeahright]

For all we know he could have had a car accident, gone sky diving etc, etc since.

I'm sure there would be a medical record

[Yeahright]

“He’s never been able to keep a proper job and was forced to try and play local football to get money, because he was so desperate,” Karmene said.

I would think that him not keeping a job had nothing to do with his back if he could go out and play footy

[YellowandBlackBlood]

For all we know he could have had a car accident, gone sky diving etc, etc since.

I'm sure there would be a medical record

Where would you look for it? What if he had an accident overseas?

It's impossible to be certain despite your response.

[Yeahright]

For all we know he could have had a car accident, gone sky diving etc, etc since.

I'm sure there would be a medical record

Where would you look for it? What if he had an accident overseas?

It's impossible to be certain despite your response.

I was taking the mickey...