Richmond reaches confidential settlement with Ty Zantuck over ‘horribly wrong’ back treatment claim

Richmond has reached a settlement with ex-player Ty Zantuck over back injuries he says stemmed from a Grampians training camp where he was made to carry a 30kg pack, despite earlier being diagnosed with stress fractures.

Former Richmond player Ty Zantuck in 2018. After a long legal battle the club has reached a confidential settlement with him over his back injuries. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Richmond has reached a confidential settlement with former player Ty Zantuck over debilitating back injuries he claims were caused by the club’s negligence during his AFL career.

Zantuck, who played 68 games for the Tigers between 2000 and 2004, sued the club and two of its doctors, alleging they breached their duty of care.

On Wednesday, his South Australian lawyer, Greg Griffin, said the years’ long legal battle had been a “difficult process” but a confidential settlement had been reached.

“All parties are happy to see it finished,” he said.

Richmond declined to comment when approached by the Herald Sun.

Ty Zantuck when he was playing for Richmond Tigers. Picture: Getty

In 2022, a Supreme Court judge granted an extension on the statute of limitation on Zantuck’s claim.

Justice Mary-Jane Ierodiaconou found the alleged conduct of the football club was “egregious” and had effectively left Zantuck’s “life crippled”.

In court documents, Zantuck claimed his back injury stemmed from a training camp in the Grampians in 2001 where he was required to carry a 30kg backpack despite earlier being diagnosed with stress fractures to his lower back.

The former defender claimed to have received between 15 to 20 epidurals, as well as dozens of local anaesthetic injections, in a bid to keep him playing.

The court previously heard Zantuck had met with a law firm almost a decade earlier about his back injuries.

They told him there was “nothing the solicitors could do to assist him because no one had ever successfully sued the AFL and its clubs”.

“I’m still traumatised by the whole thing,” Zantuck told an earlier hearing.

Zantuck claims he received scores of epidurals and local anaesthetic injections, in a bid to keep him playing. Picture: Supplied

He alleged the doctors at the football club got his treatment “horribly wrong” and the injections had “ruined the muscles in my body”.

“I still love the Richmond Football Club, my two sons barrack for them,” Zantuck said.

“I just think they got the treatment horribly wrong.”

Zantuck lodged a separate concussion claim, alleging he was allowed to continue to train and play AFL despite suffering repeated on-field head knocks which had not properly healed.

The Herald Sun understands that case is still before the courts.