One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: one-eyed on May 04, 2010, 03:17:21 AM
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From BF:
"Gerard Healy said the our boy Cuz will be the guest next Tuesday 11 May."
ps. I thought the Couch was on Monday nights?
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From BF:
"Gerard Healy said the our boy Cuz will be the guest next Tuesday 11 May."
ps. I thought the Couch was on Monday nights?
Monday night footy next week, couch thus on Tuesday
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That's going to hose down media interest. :P
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From BF:
"Gerard Healy said the our boy Cuz will be the guest next Tuesday 11 May."
ps. I thought the Couch was on Monday nights?
Must be a late game on the Monday!
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Should be dropped.
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Should be dropped.
agreed!!!
his heart is not in it anymore
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his heart is not in it anymore
Yep. I fail to see any benefit in playing him in the seniors anymore.
No point having a 32 year old veteran half back flanker out there picking up easy possessions when you're going to win the wooden spoon.
It'd certainly send a strong message to the playing group too.
He can teach the juniors at Coburg. :rollin
That should give him something to talk about with Gerard.
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Bump.
Could someone give us without Foxtel a brief run down summary of what Cuz says tonight :).
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Bump.
Could someone give us without Foxtel a brief run down summary of what Cuz says tonight :).
Ill try..
Basically benny loves Richmond and looks towards working with the club after he leaves the footy field which would be awesome!!
BT and the others pretty much attacked him with drug related questions and he carried him self very well and got a little fired up when i think he is name is Mike? old dude with the glasses kept patronizing him and kept asking questions that obviously couldn't be answered easily... thats my take on what happened im sure you can find a more detailed version from some one else.
Thought benny was great on the show and says he has a lot better footy left in him and i believe him until he says otherwise :gotigers
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Bump.
Could someone give us without Foxtel a brief run down summary of what Cuz says tonight :).
well firstly i was one who said his heart wasn't in it well i think i was wrong.
Firstly cuz gave no indication he was ready to give it up, in fact he spoke of the desire to push on next year
He spoke highly of the RFC for giving him another chance. He would forever be grateful to us.
He put an end to rumours he was back on the stuff pre season, by saying he went away to Thailand with his mrs for 2 weeks then went away with his own parents.
He said he is most enjoying helping develop the young players at the club.
He was asked why did he shave his head? I believe he didnt answer this well at all in fact it sounded like he danced around the question.
He eventually said the reason was he didnt want the AFL to decide his future, as it was his career.
He finished with Daniel Connors. He said it will do him a world of good going back to Coburg and it just may be the turning point in his career.
Overall a really good interview one which everyone should watch.
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missed it - spew.
Lol - Suck on that Cuz haters
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Taped it off Foxtel will watch it later, sounds good though.
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Overall a really good interview one which everyone should watch.
Agree daniel
Some more:
* Really enjoying helping with the development of the younger players
* See his role at the Club as not only as a player but as also involving coaching the younger guys and helping them develop
* pointed out that this time last year no thought he get a contract for this year, so rightly pointed out with some continuity in traing and playing he can get back to playing like he did last year.
* Wants to play on next year and is confident that if he can string games to gether he will be able to have that conversation
* Regarding Richmond's current state he said people need to understand how young our list actually it is. Said a couple of times how young we are
* Said he wanted to stick around to help the Club get out of the it's "tough" patch. And if this his last year as a player he wanted to remain involved at the Club
* He said he is forever indebted to the RFC for giving him an opportunity to get his life back on track
* In aswer to Mike's question about remorse for lying to the Eagles. He said of course he feels remorse
* Agree with danile about how he handled the answered the question about shaving his head. Once he got to theh answer it made perfect sense. He said basically he believed in his own mind that the AFL was out to get him and he was concerned that they wouldn't let him play footy again
* Asked why he is still playing - he said he still oves playing the game
* Said that the RFC took a huge risk taking him on because he came with alot of things to manage (some not of his making) eg the media stalking (my word not his ;D), the rumours & innuendo
* Categorically denied that he he had a relapse over the pre-season and that the club has ever spoken to him about his drinking
*Admitted he needed to be careful with the booze but he didn't have a drinking problem
* Mentioned the support he has had from his parents. He's put them through alot and they've stood by him, he said he was very lucky
That's all I can remember for now
All in all I was super impressed with the bloke as was the Panel especially Mike and Gerrard
Can I add that anyone who thinks he is off no benefit to our CLub should have a look at this interview IMHO
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Thanks Daniel, any news on our kick ins? Jackstar was making alot of noise about it.
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Bump.
Could someone give us without Foxtel a brief run down summary of what Cuz says tonight :).
Ill try..
Basically benny loves Richmond and looks towards working with the club after he leaves the footy field which would be awesome!!
BT and the others pretty much attacked him with drug related questions and he carried him self very well and got a little fired up when i think he is name is Mike? old dude with the glasses kept patronizing him and kept asking questions that obviously couldn't be answered easily... thats my take on what happened im sure you can find a more detailed version from some one else.
Thought benny was great on the show and says he has a lot better footy left in him and i believe him until he says otherwise :gotigers
Pretty much it TTID. Yes, it was Mike Sheahan who showed himself up to be an ignorant fool - Cousins tore him a new one twice tonight and Mike didn't like it one bit, he shut right up especially after the second time. As TTID said, most of the questioning was around his drug-taking and Cousins was answering the questions with professionalism and (what appeared to be a lot of) honesty. Sheahan put it to him that the perception was the Eagles premiership in '06 was 'tainted' because some players taking recreational drugs enhanced their performance. Cousins denied that saying it was actually the opposite - much harder to perform when you are doing those drugs - and then shot back with "maybe you should try them and see if they do". It was a classic and the look on Sheahan's face was priceless - a Mastercard moment - but then Sheahan felt the need to re-establish a position of self-righteous dominance so a bit later he questioned him (about his drinking I think but could be mistaken) and Cousins replied that one of his biggest issues is the media being very ignorant and not doing any research on anything to find out facts before they report things. That was it for Mike - targets down, patch out!! I loved every moment of it.
He was very cagey around his answers for cutting his hair short prior to his first drug test and eventually they dragged out that he was not confident of the AFL's motives or intent regarding his welfare and future and did it as a measure of self-protection. The more he said on this, the more it sounded to me like he might have been at risk of being exposed for some 'recent' adverse activity that longer hair might have shown and that he had made some decisions/changes since that last episode to change things but didn't trust that the AFL would have seen it that way. Just my take on his responses to that one.
He spoke very highly of the opportunity the club had given him, "I owe them a debt of eternal gratitude" or words to that effect. He also spoke of his current role as he sees it - to mentor and lead the kids. He recalled his time at West Coast as a young player and the difference it made to his game to look over his shoulder and see the experience of guys like Kemp, McKenna, Jackovich etc, knowing that they 'had his back'. That was what he felt he was capable of (and working at) bringing to our current team. He also looked quite annoyed and then bemused when Mike suggested that his impact as a player was almost gone and that this would be his last year. He knocked that on the head very quickly.
Overall I have to say I was very impressed by his answers - his body language showed a bit of discomfort with some of the questions (and rightly so given that he has to have all his failings as a human played out in the public arena) but he never displayed any giveaway traits of telling lies or hiding the truth so it was either great acting or he was very genuine in his responses. FWIW, I thought he was very sincere and forthright. I came away from that interview very impressed with Ben Cousins and I can only hope for his sake that he is able to win his unenviable battle with his addiction.
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Thanks Daniel, any news on our kick ins? Jackstar was making alot of noise about it.
They spent about 60 seconds on it, showed a couple of clips and said nothing that hadn't been said before. Didn't say very much at all about really, no big deal was made, just highlighted a shortcoming in our game. A huge non-event given we were all warned about it beforehand!! ::)
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Great read Smokey :thumbsup
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Thanks Daniel, any news on our kick ins? Jackstar was making alot of noise about it.
There was actualy.
They showed footage of probably 4 kick ins
BT and Gerard agreed that there was a serious issue there.
They also highlighted the basically "'non contests as they said "' in Ruck contests and showed 5 instances.
Didnt look great for Vickery
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Thanks Daniel, any news on our kick ins? Jackstar was making alot of noise about it.
They spent about 60 seconds on it, showed a couple of clips and said nothing that hadn't been said before. Didn't say very much at all about really, no big deal was made, just highlighted a shortcoming in our game. A huge non-event given we were all warned about it beforehand!! ::)
A huge non event hey.
BT says big issue, you say non event. :banghead
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Superb interview.
Completely 2nd everything smokey has said. I interpreted everything the same, so his answers where clear with no grey areas and were perfect. Glad yo picked up Mikes face smoke when Cousins said "why dont you try it?". Classic.
Growing up in a generation flooded with recreational drugs, Ben was spot on about the media going the man (Cousins) and not the ball. Would be a different story if a Brad Johnson had a drug addiction.
A week is a long time in football, and would be surprised if anyone still thought that Cousins should be forced to retire at the end of the year, let alone at the half way point.
If Ben's body suggests he can go around and is keen to then he will. For anyone that doubts that just had to look at the fact Simmonds got another year.
Hope his body holds up, we're still with ya Benny.
:gotigers
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Thanks Daniel, any news on our kick ins? Jackstar was making alot of noise about it.
There was actualy.
They showed footage of probably 4 kick ins
BT and Gerard agreed that there was a serious issue there.
They also highlighted the basically "'non contests as they said "' in Ruck contests and showed 5 instances.
Didnt look great for Vickery
Lol literally looking at it as I was reading this.
The labelled it "basic" issues. Not serious, cause the skill of kick ins are basic.
The ruck stuff was more highlighting the good work by the Crows at stoppages and showed instances with taps to advantage to an unmarked Crow. Its a stoppage issue as a whole. They highlighted there was no man inbetween the ruck contest and crow players to help out Vickory since he was losing so much.
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we only gave away one goal from kick ins, so i guess it cant be that bad, was much worse last 3 years
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Ever since his interview on the Footy Show prior to the national draft where he was arrogant and smug, he really has been a changed man. He either has turned his life around substantially, or needs to win an Oscar for brilliant acting. He seems really genuine on Nova as well. Glad to see it said publically that recreational drug use is detrimental to performance, not performance enhancing. I posted that repeatedly yet some, just like Mike, seem to think otherwise for some reason.
Glad to have him around and hope he can stick around in a coaching capacity. He'd be a far better midfield coach than Campbell.
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thanks to all for the info.
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Big media career post football.
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Big media career post football.
Yeah could very well be, just hope he doesn't end up doing a Carey, I would love to see him stay at the club as an assistant though.
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Ever since his interview on the Footy Show prior to the national draft where he was arrogant and smug, he really has been a changed man. He either has turned his life around substantially, or needs to win an Oscar for brilliant acting. He seems really genuine on Nova as well. Glad to see it said publically that recreational drug use is detrimental to performance, not performance enhancing. I posted that repeatedly yet some, just like Mike, seem to think otherwise for some reason.
Glad to have him around and hope he can stick around in a coaching capacity. He'd be a far better midfield coach than Campbell.
100% agree.
I cant believe anyone has ever believed recreational drugs can improve performance lol. Staggered Mike had to ask the question. Ben couldn't believe it either, hence the joke, seriously you should try them and see for yourself lol.
He's great on Nova. And would have to be an upgrade from Campbell.
Something I cant believe has never been brought up. Ben is dating a woman with 2 kids, by all reports going well. Says alot about a guy to start a relationship with a single mum of 2 kids. I certainly wouldn't be big enough to take on that type of baggage. Interesting that no media has ever mentioned or tried to make a feel good story about that. Yet they'll live in bins to get a photo of him with his shirt off lol. Go figure.
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Big media career post football.
I have a feeling he'll stick around and give as much as he can, he really does want to give back to the club in some way.
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I would love to see him stay at the club as an assistant though.
Not so sure about that option. The circus surrounding him likely won't go away for a while especially with books, docos affot etc..
I don't expect this interview to end the intrusion either and find it all a little ironic really.
Anyways he has the rest of the year to decide his fate.
His football would need to lift substantially from output to date this year to hold his place on the list in 2010 IMO.
Hope he gets back to last years form soon enough.
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I would love to see him stay at the club as an assistant though.
Not so sure about that option. The circus surrounding him likely won't go away for a while especially with books, docos affot etc..
I don't expect this interview to end the intrusion either and find it all a little ironic really.
Anyways he has the rest of the year to decide his fate.
His football would need to lift substantially from output to date this year to hold his place on the list in 2010 IMO.
Hope he gets back to last years form soon enough.
I do hope he continues on next year if he can, I still believe he would be good as a midfield coach helping out the youngsters. Benny Gail didn't seem too concerned about his doco and I don't think the players are too concerned either. I think they would love him to stay and mentor them for a while longer.
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I do hope he continues on next year if he can, I still believe he would be good as a midfield coach helping out the youngsters. Benny Gail didn't seem too concerned about his doco and I don't think the players are too concerned either. I think they would love him to stay and mentor them for a while longer.
We'll see how it unfolds I guess. The Cuz tale has a ways to run yet.
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I do hope he continues on next year if he can, I still believe he would be good as a midfield coach helping out the youngsters. Benny Gail didn't seem too concerned about his doco and I don't think the players are too concerned either. I think they would love him to stay and mentor them for a while longer.
Time will tell I guess. The Cuz tale has a ways to run yet.
Agree, don't think the tale will ever end actually, no matter what he chooses to do..
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Ben Cousins - On The Couch Part 1/3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igJV2u7_Ayc)
Ben Cousins - On The Couch Part 2/3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z6g6bbd4oA)
Ben Cousins - On The Couch Part 3/3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8lQHs5lnmI)
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Cousins keen to play on next year
SAM LIENERT
May 11, 2010 - 10:34PM
Richmond midfielder Ben Cousins says he still loves playing football and hopes he can find the form required to warrant playing on for another AFL season.
The 31-year-old former West Coast skipper's start to his second season with the Tigers has been interrupted by illness, injury and a club-imposed suspension.
But the recovering drug addict denied rumours that his off-field behaviour had slipped over the summer or that his attitude towards the game had wavered and he was contemplating retirement.
Advertisement: Story continues below"I have had an interrupted start to the season," Cousins told Fox Sports on Tuesday night.
"(But) I think this time last year most people would have said I had no chance of getting an extension on my contract.
"I went on and got some continuity in my training and playing and I thought I played some reasonable footy.
"I'm of the opinion that barring any bad luck I'll be able to play footy of the calibre I did last year, if not better, which I'm hoping will warrant a lengthy discussion about whether it's worth going on next year."
Cousins said while it might appear from outside he was not enjoying playing for the struggling Tigers, that was not the case.
"Wins have been hard to come by, but I've got a real enjoyment out of seeing the development and helping fast-track the development of some of the younger players," he said.
He said the realisation that the end of his career was approaching had only enhanced his appreciation of the game.
The 2005 Brownlow Medallist and 2006 West Coast premiership player said he felt "forever indebted" to the Tigers for giving him a second chance in the AFL after being banned for the 2008 season for bringing the game into disrepute.
He said he hoped to remain with the club beyond his playing days and felt he already had a de facto coaching role given the youth of the squad.
"I've really enjoyed settling in at Richmond, it's been a tough go on-field, but I'd like to in a playing capacity see them get out of that tough period for as long as I can," he said.
"Then if it was possible I'd like to stay around the club and help them out."
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/cousins-keen-to-play-on-next-year-20100511-uv42.html
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No drug taint on flag: Cousins
JESSE HOGAN
May 12, 2010
BEN Cousins says his spiral into drug addiction while at West Coast should not taint the accolades he and his teammates received during his 12-year career at the Eagles.
The injured Richmond veteran also insisted he was making ''real progress'' in his bid to tame that addiction and desperately wanted to extend his flagging AFL career beyond this season.
In a candid interview with Fox Sports' On The Couch last night, the usually media-shy 31-year-old denied he had lied to the Eagles hierarchy about his drug use but conceded he regretted his acrimonious departure from the club in 2007, a year after he had played in its premiership side.
''I'm sure the footy club would have known when you [in the media] would have known. They wouldn't have had their head in the sand,'' Cousins said.
''I certainly spent the vast majority of my career trying to hide the fact that I was reliant on recreational drugs - no question - but that didn't diminish the application I had to my footy, the want for the footy club to do well.
''I can say categorically that the use of recreational drugs did not help me play AFL football in any way. If anything it made it a hell of a lot harder.''
While rumours persist that drug use was rife among that Eagles team, Cousins was insistent that he was speaking for himself and not any other players. He also denied illicit - or recreational, as he described it - drug use was a problem among AFL footballers.
''I don't think they're nearly the same problem as they are in society. I don't think it's a true reflection of what's happening in a normal 18-30 age bracket in society. But it is a concern for the community and the problem with it - it's one of the biggest social problems we have yet we probably know the least about it … and treat it with very little compassion.''
Cousins' stints in hospital on the eve of the season prompted reports he was struggling with his addiction, but he insisted he had not relapsed during pre-season or subsequently. ''I don't … dignify every single rumour. The problem with my situation is that if you throw anything negative my way, it seems to stick.''
He said he was still being drug-tested three times a week, and the rigorous testing had helped his recovery.
''That's been a good safety net for [me], but it's just held me in good stead for life after footy. Not everybody in my situation gets the luxury of having that … for me it's been a good thing, especially early on.''
Cousins also disputed the theory that being delisted by Richmond could harm his attempts at recovery and drive him back to drug use.
''It's easy to forget that the environment of the AFL … some of that has been counter-productive to my recovery. I'm under constant scrutiny from the media [and] at the mercy of a lot of rumours and innuendo, and I cop that, I've had to.
''I've had the opportunity to get my life back on track. I am well into my second year away from that poo-storm. I've stayed clean a lot longer than a long weekend.''
Cousins said he was ''forever indebted'' to Richmond for drafting him and expressed confidence his form in the rest of the season would warrant a contract extension into next year.
While largely positive throughout the interview, Cousins believed the media had treated him too harshly.
''What I would have liked to have seen is … the sports journalists do a little bit more research on the actual condition of addiction before they made personal attacks on me … [in] the football analogy, I think they've gone the man a little bit rather than the ball.
''There's a huge opportunity to use my story as a positive one, to give other people with my condition a bit of hope, because it's an area which lacks real leadership and role models for other people that are struggling with the same condition.''
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/no-drug-taint-on-flag-cousins-20100511-uv6z.html
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Ben Cousins say he felt the AFL 'were out to get me' during year off
Bruce Matthews
Herald Sun
May 11, 2010 10:51PM
REFORMED Richmond midfielder Ben Cousins "felt that the AFL was out to get me'' with the constant drug testing during 2008 when he was forced to sit out the AFL season.
While Cousins was evasive over the real reason he shaved his head, he said he lacked faith in those who were going to sit in judgment on his possible return to the game.
"That was probably one of the most trying, if not the most trying, six weeks of my 12 months off,'' Cousins told Fox Sports' On The Couch.
"I had at the time, rightly or wrongly, very little faith in the people that were going to make a decision on my future.
"Obviously, there were some concerns and I felt that the AFL was out to get me, that was just how I felt at the time.
"I'm able to now sit back and look back and probably see a lot easier where people like the AFL, football clubs were coming from when they didn't necessarily think it was a fait accompli of me coming back to the game.
"It's easy to forget the environment of the AFL industry, some of that has been counter-productive to my recovery. I'm under constant scrutiny and I cop that.
"I've had the opportunity to get my life back on track and people have got to remember too that I'm well into my second year away from that s--- storm.
"I've stayed clean a lot longer than a long weekend.''
Cousins, who wants to play on with Richmond beyond this season, said he accepted the drug-testing three times a week "so that puts a line through three-quarters of the rumours''.
He denied having an alcohol problem.
"I've never been spoken to by the footy club about an alcohol issue,'' he said.
And he refuted any suggestions West Coast's 2006 premiership win was tainted by rumours he and others used drugs that season.
"I totally disagree,'' he said.
"I can only speak for myself, but I can say categorically that the use of recreational drugs did not help to play AFL football in any way.
"If anything, it made it a hell of a lot harder.''
The 2005 Brownlow Medallist said while he understood the media focus, he wished more people had made an effort to research his addiction to better understand his plight.
"To use a football analogy, I think they've gone for the man a little bit rather than the ball,'' he said.
"There's a huge opportunity to use my story as a positive one, to give other people with my condition a bit of hope because it's an area that lacks real leadership and role models for other people that are struggling with the same condition.''
Cousins said he was "forever indebted'' to Richmond for giving him a second AFL chance and he would strive to earn an extension to his current one-year contract.
"Deep down, I want the opportunity to leave the game in a different way than the tailend of serving my 12 months suspension,'' he said.
"And I've worked pretty hard to get myself into a position that when I leave football, I'll be able to leave it with some dignity,'' he said.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ben-cousins-say-he-felt-the-afl-were-out-to-get-me-during-year-off/story-e6frf9io-1225865271188
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Thanks Daniel, any news on our kick ins? Jackstar was making alot of noise about it.
There was actualy.
They showed footage of probably 4 kick ins
BT and Gerard agreed that there was a serious issue there.
They also highlighted the basically "'non contests as they said "' in Ruck contests and showed 5 instances.
Didnt look great for Vickery
Read this response when you come back again Guest. :lol
They did not make any big deal of it or say it was anything other than what it was and what has been discussed openly in the media already - a problem area for our club to work on. And as Pope said, they also mentioned our centre clearance work in the same 60 seconds of headline grabbing, earth shattering, it's all so clear to us now stuff, and said the same thing - that it's an area we need to work on. Then having said that, they immediately acknowledged that despite our poor ruck work we actually did very well at the clearances and contested possessions and that when we got our ruck work right we would be very good in this area. And as X said - despite the poor kickout strategy it still had a minimal impact on the scoreboard. For someone who lays claim to have the club's heartbeat this was certainly one of your poorer efforts Guest.
And as an aside, I have to mention the performance of BT. You all know my opinion of him as a commentator but last night he was far and away the most professional and insightful of the 3 interviewing Cousins, and was the only one prepared to ask more football-related questions that just trying to trip him up with all the drug-related ones. I got more out of his questions than anything Sheahan or Healy threw up - they made themselves look silly with a number of unresearched and ignorant questions that Cousins handled very well and used to show them both up. If only he could be that objective in his game commentary.
So now, a final word to Guest - a short while ago we debated the morals or otherwise of Caroline Wilson. My opinion of her at the time (and still is), is that when it comes to reporting on the fortunes and happenings at our club she is a gutless sniper. Well, I have to say, this is now the 4th (I think) occasion you have run away from the forum when no-one has agreed with your point of view - taken your bat and ball and run away. Maybe Caroline has an apprentice??????
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Spot on smoke
BT was absolute class. Gerard asked the hard questions that weren't to bad but Mike clearly wanted to get a reaction for a story out of Ben. I was really happy with BT. The question what does Ben Cousins want? And what still drives him are the questions we want to know the answers to. Not did you lie to West Coast about drugs?
It probably gave good balance it was pretty enjoyable interview to watch.
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My biggest criticism of Ben when he was going through his drugs saga was that he left all the mess to be cleaned up by his family, his dad, and didn't come clean or take responsibility for his own actions then.
But how much has he grown since then
Fantastic to see :clapping
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My biggest criticism of Ben when he was going through his drugs saga was that he left all the mess to be cleaned up by his family, his dad, and didn't come clean or take responsibility for his own actions then.
But how much has he grown since then
Fantastic to see :clapping
They don't Froars, thats the trouble, life in general is viewed very differently through those eyes - drugs (of any sort) taken to the point of addiction are usually an escape from responsibility and reality so an acknowledgement of that failing at the time is most unlikely. That's the unfortunate lot of the parents and friends that really care - they get to put up with all the crap, keep standing by them and picking up the pieces until (hopefully) maturity, common sense or whatever other positive influence kicks in and allows them to move forward. It's a horrible existence for everyone involved - the addict and the support crew.
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Gerard Healy stunned by Ben Cousins 'bunker mentality' and AFL distrust
By John Clark
foxsports.com.au
May 12, 2010
AFL great Gerard Healy says explosive claims by Ben Cousins that the "AFL was out to get me" was the most fascinating revelation to come from the former West Coast bad boy's captivating interview.
Cousins opened up on Fox Sports' On The Couch on Tuesday night in what Healy, the show's host, said was "a very candid chat with Ben".
"It's the first time he has opened himself to true scrutiny," Healy said.
Recovering drug addict Cousins, now with Richmond, said trying to convince the league to allow him to return after a 12-month suspension in 2008 for bringing the game into disrepute took its toll.
When it was revealed he would be forced to undergo hair testing, Cousins shaved his head in what many viewed as the ex-Eagles skipper thumbing his nose at authority. He refuted that on Tuesday night.
"That was probably one of the most trying, if not the most trying, six weeks of my 12 months off,'' Cousins said.
"I had at the time, rightly or wrongly, very little faith in the people that were going to make a decision on my future.
“"It was almost like a CIA plot to get him and I know that was a fairly strong feeling among him and his supporters at the time he was trying to get to Richmond. When it reaches that proportions you understand what type of bunker mentality was driving him at the time."” –Gerard Healy On Ben Cousins
"Obviously, there were some concerns and I felt that the AFL was out to get me, that was just how I felt at the time.
"I'm able to now sit back and look back and probably see a lot easier where people like the AFL, football clubs were coming from when they didn't necessarily think it was a fait accompli of me coming back to the game."
Healy and Brian Taylor, who joined On The Couch on Tuesday night, were both stunned by the claims from Cousins.
"The issue about his distrust about the AFL probably surprised me most," Healy told foxsports.com.au.
"I knew it was strong but I didn't know it was at a level that forced him to cut his hair off because he was so paranoid that he didn't trust the integrity of the testers or the AFL commission.
"(He thought) it was almost like a CIA plot to get him and I know that was a fairly strong feeling among him and his supporters at the time he was trying to get to Richmond.
"When it reaches that proportions you understand what type of bunker mentality was driving him at the time."
Taylor agreed, saying: "I had never heard that, that was the one thing that stood out for me.
"He really believed the AFL would set him up and end his career. That was astonishing."
On the playing front, Cousins is keen to go on beyond this season.
However, both Taylor and Healy feel 2010 will prove his last at the highest level.
"He is one of the modern day greats. He has played at a very high level for a very long time and he's played sensational footy," Healy said.
"He's a great player and a great player to watch.
"I suspect we are watching him in his final year but most people thought he was gone at this time last year.
"I know he is very keen to turn it around. He's got a job in front of him.
Taylor said life after footy was clearly a fear for Cousins.
"No doubt he has concerns about life without the safety nets, the structure and support of AFL life," Taylor said.
"He is very worried about what is going to happen when his career ends."
There was one regret from Healy the morning after: "I would have liked to ask him how he didn't test positive for all those years, what length he went to in a bid to avoid detection."
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27113924-5018851,00.html?from=public_rss
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I completly undertsand why he cut his hair.
The education of the tests wasn't very indepth. To me it was a point in time Ben went and said right I'm now 100% confident that I can't be found to have drugs in my system I can be confident to put my reputation and my rehab in the public eye and be scruitinised.
I'm sure thoughts were running through his head of "How long does this drug evidence stay in my system. Does it stay in the skin and can be tranformed to air that was grown 1 month, 2 months or 6 moths later?
For mine it was just a sign that he stripped the paint off and started fresh.
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It's intelligent to fear the AFL were attempting to stuff him over when u consider the bodgy background of dimitrious' in laws and consequently,dimitriou.
He has paid media companies plenty to hide his dark family secret.....
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geezz show me the last time the media jumped on a on the coach interview with a footy player lol
i dont think ill see Benny On The Mike any time soon ... ;)
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Cousins offers clubs, players, much more than midfield nous
SAMANTHA LANE
May 13, 2010
BEN Cousins was very nearly lost to football once. Now, the game that shunned him so severely would be mad not to enlist him into its ranks for good.
After Cousins' extended television interview on Tuesday, candid as it was compelling, any club that is not half-interested in signing the Brownlow medallist as a future employee is ignorant to the unique, powerful and utterly modern skills he has to offer.
Yes, Cousins is a recovering drug addict who refers to intoxication as ''his idea of a holiday''. And yes, the clear impression from his appearance on Fox Sports' On The Couch - arranged because the show is hosted by one of his confidantes, Gerard Healy - is that he continues to find living clean an on-going challenge.
But the overriding message from the riveting 30-minute interview was that Cousins has much more to offer football - indeed sport - beyond his playing contract with Richmond, where he could very well play his final game in August.
Without even seeming to try, Cousins showed what an incredible teacher he can be on matters far more important than the machinations of a midfield.
For all the seminars, slogans and educational units the AFL teaches and preaches, the game's bosses struggle when it comes to talking the same language as the average young Australian about illicit drugs.
In fact, when they open their mouths on the topic, they often alienate themselves.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, for instance, has repeatedly referred to drugs as the ''scourge of society''. He has said that he ''abhors'' them.
While that resonates with a generation that preferred alcohol to lubricate itself, or to escape, to the next generation - even those who have not so much as dabbled in drugs - it sounds unrealistic and out of touch.
Certainly the desperate, rambling heroin addict that gets on your morning tram presents a stark reminder of where abuse can lead.
Drugs clearly cause a magnitude of problems. But the fact is, many who indulge in drug-taking do so casually.
They are not addicts. And most would strongly object to the suggestion their behaviour is abhorrent, or that they represent the scourge of society.
Anyone who thinks footballers have not been there, and do not still choose to go there on occasion, is naive.
Cousins' extreme circumstances have meant he's not had the option to be so discreet. But out of his battle - the term he used on Tuesday was ''poo-storm'' - he has become something of an expert. Someone who is able to discuss these dark topics in a way that connects.
Cousins is 18 months into his return to football. He will be 32 next month. The way he spoke this week suggested he has learnt more in those years than some do in a life-time.
His statement that he felt ''forever indebted'' to Richmond for taking a chance on him could not have been more heart-felt.
There are sides in the competition that now wish they had been so brave. As one club CEO noted, Cousins could have helped St Kilda win last year's premiership.
But that's history. Cousins' best work to come now is off-field. It may yet be the most meaningful, fulfilling and powerful work he does. And while a lone club was brave enough to take the punt the last time Cousins was in the market for a job in football, logic says he should have a line of suitors the next time.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/cousins-offers-clubs-players-much-more-than-midfield-nous-20100512-uy1l.html
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When Cuz isn't tested 3 times a week, that will be his greatest test.
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When Cuz isn't tested 3 times a week, that will be his greatest test.
Id expect that upon his retirement as a player he will get a job as an assistant coach to Hardwick as part of that contract there should be some testing, not for us as a club but for him to be able to keep his life on track. Cousins is a future AFL coach at some point- if he keeps himself clean!
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At some point he has to take the crutch away and 'walk' unaided, he can't keep allowing the 3 tests a week to control his thoughts and actions. If he is to ever get his life "back on track" then the discipline and desire must be driven and managed from within - can't happen any other way. Working within the greater footballing environment/community will help in some way but might also hinder with temptation and status. I hope for his sake that he is getting and continues to get the best possible support and guidance from those that matter most to him - family, friends and medical professionals - that's where his best chance of long term success lies.
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Kennett appalled by Cousins interview
SCOTT SPITS
May 14, 2010
JEFF Kennett has come out swinging in the wake of Ben Cousins' expansive interview about his battle with drug addiction, calling on the media to stop hounding the Brownlow medallist.
The Hawthorn president, a former chairman of depression support group beyondblue, said that after watching the Cousins interview on Foxtel's On The Couch, for the first time he wanted the West Coast premiership player ''to succeed more than anything else''.
''I feel very, very sorry for Ben Cousins. I don't know him, I've nodded at him a couple of times when I passed him in the street,'' Kennett told 3AW yesterday.
Cousins, who was banned by the AFL for 12 months before he was given a second chance by Richmond, was interviewed at length on Tuesday night by Gerard Healy, Mike Sheahan and James Hird.
''I have never witnessed, I think, a more appalling interview in my life. I don't say that lightly because I've seen many,'' Kennett said.
''No doubt Ben agreed to be there but the three interviewers just continually went on about his past, etc, etc.
''You know when you get to the point where you see someone interviewing someone and you think 'enough's enough' … you think 'move on, be positive' there was another question … by three gentlemen who'd obviously never experienced what Ben Cousins has been through.''
Kennett warned about the mental risks for people seeking to beat drug addiction.
''You've got to come to a point where you say 'a person is ill and they're entitled to go about their rehabilitation without being hounded'.''
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/kennett-appalled-by-cousins-interview-20100513-v1ot.html
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''I have never witnessed, I think, a more appalling interview in my life. I don't say that lightly because I've seen many,'' Kennett said.
''No doubt Ben agreed to be there but the three interviewers just continually went on about his past, etc, etc.
''You know when you get to the point where you see someone interviewing someone and you think 'enough's enough' … you think 'move on, be positive' there was another question … by three gentlemen who'd obviously never experienced what Ben Cousins has been through.''
Finally, someone called it as I saw it. A disgraceful effort of interviewing that was hell bent on uncovering dirt or tripping Cousins up. Thankfully, Cousins had the dignity, courage and intelligence to deal with it at a much more professional level than Sheahan or Healy. >:(
And just another example of accurate journalism by our sports media. James Hird? Did this tosspot even watch the interview? :banghead
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wow. Deep down inside, Kennett just may have a a little streak of morality buried after all.
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wow. Deep down inside, Kennett just may have a a little streak of morality buried after all.
Loath to say it but, I agreed with him for once. Sorry Kennett lovers but I only ever saw him pour scorn and contempt on people in the past lol.
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Kennett appalled by Cousins interview
SCOTT SPITS
May 14, 2010
JEFF Kennett has come out swinging in the wake of Ben Cousins' expansive interview about his battle with drug addiction, calling on the media to stop hounding the Brownlow medallist.
The Hawthorn president, a former chairman of depression support group beyondblue, said that after watching the Cousins interview on Foxtel's On The Couch, for the first time he wanted the West Coast premiership player ''to succeed more than anything else''.
''I feel very, very sorry for Ben Cousins. I don't know him, I've nodded at him a couple of times when I passed him in the street,'' Kennett told 3AW yesterday.
Cousins, who was banned by the AFL for 12 months before he was given a second chance by Richmond, was interviewed at length on Tuesday night by Gerard Healy, Mike Sheahan and James Hird.
''I have never witnessed, I think, a more appalling interview in my life. I don't say that lightly because I've seen many,'' Kennett said.
''No doubt Ben agreed to be there but the three interviewers just continually went on about his past, etc, etc.
''You know when you get to the point where you see someone interviewing someone and you think 'enough's enough' … you think 'move on, be positive' there was another question … by three gentlemen who'd obviously never experienced what Ben Cousins has been through.''
Kennett warned about the mental risks for people seeking to beat drug addiction.
''You've got to come to a point where you say 'a person is ill and they're entitled to go about their rehabilitation without being hounded'.''
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/kennett-appalled-by-cousins-interview-20100513-v1ot.html
Hopefully the on the couch douche bags read this
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wow. Deep down inside, Kennett just may have a a little streak of morality buried after all.
Nah...just loves coke :shh
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Much to learn from Cousins' confessions
TIM LANE
May 16, 2010
Troubled star can help refine AFL's illicit drugs policy
JEFF Kennett may have thought the interrogation extreme, but the Ben Cousins interview on Fox Sports' On the Couch during the week served an important purpose. It revealed an affable and apparently decent person willingly facing the hard questions. This was important because the stigmatisation associated with drug users is such as to forever cast a shadow, in the view of some, over their acceptability as human beings.
The appearance of a fit athlete with a drug problem, confronting the matter before the public, is a small step towards opening minds.
While Kennett's point has validity in that a person in circumstances known to be fragile might reasonably be afforded sensitive treatment, it's naive to imagine that Cousins would have entered the studio expecting other than exhaustive questioning. Having chosen to appear, and knowing only too well the media interest in his story, he knew what to expect.
That Cousins took on what would come his way is to his credit. Perhaps even some of those who disbelieve the sincerity of his efforts at rehabilitation, and towards the betterment of the Richmond Football Club, would be moved to reconsider. His expression of something verging on fatherly concern over alcohol-troubled Daniel Connors was particularly affirming of his engagement with those around him.
Coincidentally, the interview with Cousins occurred in the same week as the AFL's release of the latest round of its illicit drug policy figures. Such a juxtaposition of events shone a light on the one important line of questions missing from Tuesday night's interview.
I should stress this isn't intended as criticism of Gerard Healy, Mike Sheahan, and Brian Taylor, as I know well the ''damn it, I should have asked the one about …'' feeling at the end of an interview. It would have been good, though, were answers extracted from the following:
Did Cousins return positive tests under the illicit drug code? How did a targeted system fail to produce three strikes from an athlete whose life over an extended period involved a drug habit? Does Cousins know of methods that enable players to avoid detection by the illicit drug testing program? Does he know whether the use of some drugs, more than others, is easier to hide from testers? Does he believe the testing system and its results are a reliable guide to the totality of illicit drug use among footballers?
Kennett wouldn't have liked it, but if the game is to run a controversial testing program for illicit drugs, these are questions the football community, through the media, is entitled to ask. Cousins is better placed than most to give answers.
Of course, we've known for decades that the testing for performance-enhancing drugs has been a hit-and-miss business. Ben Johnson was caught in Seoul, but it's generally accepted the 1988 Olympic Games were riddled with drug cheating. Johnson was just the unlucky big fish to have been fingered.
Still, it's better for the clean athletes that even one cheat is weeded out as, mathematically, every reduction in the number of frauds gives the rest something closer to a fair deal. The use of performance-enhancing drugs is about distortion of the competitive balance.
The AFL's illicit drug testing program is different; it's about behaviour. It came into effect only because the players, through the AFL Players Association, assented to it. Not all players agreed with that decision, yet the reluctant ones are subject to the same invasion of privacy as those who support the program. This makes it incumbent upon the AFL and the AFLPA to be able to demonstrate to the entire playing group that their system is capable of exposing equally all who are subjected to it.
The World Anti-Doping Agency code for performance-enhancing drug testing has been established, reviewed, and revised over many years. It seeks, in an ever more vigilant way, to address the multitude of possibilities involved in testing for performance-enhancing drugs and masking agents.
The AFL's illicit drug program is run by a private operator rather than by the experts in the field, the national sports drug testing agency. This raises significant questions such as: What does the AFL and its testing agency know of masking agents for illicit drugs? How much specific research has been conducted into this? Does Dorevitch Pathology (which conducts the AFL's illicit drug testing) test for any such substances? If a masking agent isn't banned under the illicit drug code, would its presence be detected anyway? Are there other ways around testing for illicit drugs? Are Dorevitch's testers as competent as the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority at ensuring athletes can't tamper with samples as has happened in other sporting environments?
If every player in the AFL is to be subjected to illicit drug testing, those who impose it have an obligation to ensure a process capable of dealing equally with all.
That Cousins avoided three strikes when his drug usage was out of control suggests an imperfect system. This could be seen as a third strike against the AFL's drug testing program: it is invasive, it was imposed without a player plebiscite, and there are doubts about its capacity to ensure equal justice for all.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/much-to-learn-from-cousins-confessions-20100515-v5kt.html
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Daniel Kerr: Ben Cousions 'looks good'
Jackie Epstein
Sunday Herald Sun
May 15, 2010 9:46PM
INJURED West Coast star Daniel Kerr says former teammate Ben Cousins is still capable of playing his best football.
Kerr was impressed by Cousins during an interview on Fox Sport's On the Couch last week.
"I haven't spoken to Ben for a while, but that's the best I've seen Ben look," he said on Triple M.
"And that's the best I've seen Ben speak and the most open I've seen Ben.
"So it looks like everything is on track for him and I agree with what he said with his football.
"I think he'll come out and show what he can really do in the second half of the year.
"I think definitely he's through the worst. I don't think it could have got any worse at one stage. He's looking a lot better and I think that will start showing out in his football."
Eagles CEO Trevor Nisbett said he was also encouraged after seeing Cousins's appearance.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/daniel-kerr-ben-cousions-looks-good/story-e6frf9jf-1225867236578
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Unless the AFL move towards blood or hair samples, then there is no way they will catch more players out. The question is, do they really want to find them?
The fact that regular marijuana use lasts for a long time in your system is why no player can afford to take it, hence no one being caught for it this year. Stimulants such as speed, cocaine & ecstacy are undetectable in urine about 48 hours after taking them. So if a player goes out Friday night, by Monday morning, its gone.
When a player is guaranteed to only be tested once a year, what are the chances of finding them positive when the window is 48 hours our of 8765 in a year, then you'd be the unluckiest bloke in the world do get done.
Other tests can test for chemicals in the body which are created to help break down the drugs in the body and these can last in the system a lot longer than 48 hours, however you're still only talking a couple of days.
If the AFL moves to hair testing, then I think there may be a sudden outbreak of Alopecia Universalis within the competition.
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you seen the Geelong list these days lol