- Apr 30, 2016
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AFL goalkicking legend Michael Roach fighting for life after suffering heart attack
The 64-year-old remains in intensive care after undergoing triple bypass surgery.Richmond great in hospital after suffering a heart attack
Richmond great Michael Roach is in a fight for his life after undergoing open heart surgery last week.
The 64-year-old suffered a heart attack on Tuesday and had a stent inserted. But he then required a triple bypass surgery.
He had some complications post-surgery and remains in intensive care.
Doctors are optimistic of working through those issues with Roach’s family hopeful of him being discharged from intensive care as early as Monday night.
There are concerns for Michael Roach after the former Richmond champion suffered a heart attack.
It’s come as a shock to his family.
The Richmond icon was riding his bike as recently as last week and regularly walks around Melbourne’s botanical gardens with former teammate and current commentator Brian Taylor.
Nicknamed ‘Disco’, the Tigers’ high-flyer is much loved by fans after playing 200 games and being a crucial part of the premiership-winning side in 1980.
Michael Roach was a star Richmond forward in the early 1980s.
He won two Coleman Medals and was also Richmond’s leading goalkicker seven times.
A mark he took against Hawthorn at the MCG is considered one of the greatest in the history of the game.
His son Tom was drafted to the Tigers as a father-son recruit in 2003, but only managed 11 games before he was delisted at the end of 2006.
Was my favorite player as a kid. Me and my brother hounded him and Barry Rowlings. Even in his latter years when he was constantly injured, he remained a true gentleman. Never once told us to get stuffed, might have said are you sure you want another autograph dozens of times but always signed. Whenever we'd sneak in the rooms after a game was always willing to have another chat. Hopefully he makes a full swift recovery.
