One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: one-eyed on August 11, 2010, 04:22:55 AM
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Richmond should not re-sign Cousins
CAROLINE WILSON
August 11, 2010
RICHMOND has insisted that Ben Cousins' playing future has not yet been decided and will rest on the shoulders not of the board or the chief executive or even the football operations boss. It will be a matter for coach Damien Hardwick and his match committee and made on football data alone.
Even allowing for some artistic licence regarding the above - surely in a subliminal sense it is impossible to judge Cousins any more on his on-field contribution alone - his time looks to be up.
There is simply no longer a strong enough case to retain a player who will turn 33 during the 2011 season and who will take games and vital development opportunities from the young men who Hardwick hopes will contribute to the club's next premiership.
Cousins will meet the club in the coming weeks and no doubt will be told he faces more than a handful of games for Coburg next season - not a fitting ending compared with the retirement scenario that is panning out for round 22, 2010.
Knowing him, he will back himself as he is doing so valiantly right now as he makes his case for a new one-year contract. His form has been good but not as good as some commentators claim. His kicking has lost its once-daunting penetration and he no longer influences the result of matches.
It is true that the Tigers will continue to rely next season on more than their fair share of first-year and second-year players. Captain Chris Newman is by far the most experienced Tiger, with Daniel Jackson, Shane Tuck and Kelvin Moore the next-most-experienced group.
Much has been made in recent weeks of Cousins' valuable contribution to the younger group, but while he is a formidable presence on match days his leadership and teaching skills have been exaggerated.
He does not discriminate when helping his young teammates - 21-year-old Andrew Collins has benefited from his advice - but as president Gary March pointed out three days ago on 3AW, all young Richmond players. when interviewed, have been asked about Cousins and all have spoken highly of him.
With the possible exception of Jason Akermanis, when was the last time you heard a footballer speak less than positively about a teammate?
This team has a long way to go but it is on a mission and the impression was that the now well-serviced football department was happy to tolerate Cousins - who is popular - and his baggage without being prepared to cover for his issues as they did last year.
Richmond is unrecognisable from the insecure, indecisive and under-resourced unit that took a brave punt on Cousins in December 2008. And Cousins himself, despite his off-field issues over the past year, seems a more balanced, calm, recovering individual. His comeback has been a very good story for which the Tigers deserve much credit.
But Richmond must act upon what is best for the club and not the individual. The Tigers have no obligation to help administer Cousins' recovery by retaining him.
Cousins in 2010 has opened up - for him - to the media for the first time and will soon release his reportedly worthy documentary that is no advertisement for drug addiction. As hard as he is working to back himself for another year of football, perhaps he should back himself to break the football cycle and attempt to live a life more ordinary.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/richmond-should-not-resign-cousins-20100810-11y5d.html
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What a surprise, Caro wants Cousins gone based on "it is impossible to judge Cousins any more on his on-field contribution alone" even thought that is repeatedly what we hear the judgment will be made on.
Coming from a so called sports journalist who's reporting resembles more of a woman's weekly writer rather than reporting on the football itself, that part is not a surprise.
Considering the apparent agenda she has against him it is no surprise she wants to see the back of him either.
Did she hit up on him and he knocked her back? Surely she must be used to rejection from all but the most desperate of drunk men by now?
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What a surprise, Caro wants Cousins gone based on "it is impossible to judge Cousins any more on his on-field contribution alone" even thought that is repeatedly what we hear the judgment will be made on.
Coming from a so called sports journalist who's reporting resembles more of a woman's weekly writer rather than reporting on the football itself, that part is not a surprise.
Considering the apparent agenda she has against him it is no surprise she wants to see the back of him either.
Did she hit up on him and he knocked her back? Surely she must be used to rejection from all but the most desperate of drunk men by now?
Caro never wanted Cousins at Richmond. Fair enough at the time given the unknown and known risks but it's time for her to let it go given how it's all worked out. She argues at the end Cuz should back himself to live an ordinary life. Well part of an ordinary life is earning an income so why if he can get another year at Richmond on good money should he knock it back just to appease some journos. I bet Caro and Hutchy wouldn't give up their well paid jobs in the limelight to back themselves to live a life more ordinary out of the spotlight.
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caro needs a huge cucumber
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"The Age" should not re-sign Caro.
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:lol :clapping
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:lol :clapping
The :lol for the 1st post and the :clapping for the 2nd Al? Or both for both?!
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both for the second. I dont think caro would need a large cucumber. I doubt it would have seen much action so she probably only needs a pickle. ;D
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because Im not that flash at posting pictures can I suggest just to finish this thread that someone posts a picture of a fruiterer waving around a cucumber lol. ;D
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someone just post a photo of a whipper snipper, ;)
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This thread has taken a horrible turn
I'm going to have nightmares now
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The facts are Richmond will finish 15th and 15th with this 32yr old former Brownlow medalist & premiership player in the side.
That's clearly not all his fault but he's not helping our cause a great deal either.
He is clearly diminishing in his capabilities and won't help us any more next year than he has the past two. I'll bet it will be considerably less.
We are still a long way off and Dimma knows it.
Ben will make way for new blood in 2011.
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This thread has taken a horrible turn
I'm going to have nightmares now
:lol
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both for the second. I dont think caro would need a large cucumber. I doubt it would have seen much action so she probably only needs a pickle. ;D
a pickle for her vee vee, a huge cucumber for her mouth to gag her lol or for her butt
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someone just post a photo of a whipper snipper, ;)
or her pet dog and peanut butter
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This thread has taken a horrible turn
I'm going to have nightmares now
Have to agree with Infamy - the threads went of the rails when jacko chimed in with the whipper snipper post.
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This thread has taken a horrible turn
I'm going to have nightmares now
its about caro , who cares
wtf was her husband thinking, maybe he was on drugs or likes shims/shemales lol
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The facts are Richmond will finish 15th and 15th with this 32yr old former Brownlow medalist & premiership player in the side.
That's clearly not all his fault but he's not helping our cause a great deal either.
He is clearly diminishing in his capabilities and won't help us any more next year than he has the past two. I'll bet it will be considerably less.
We are still a long way off and Dimma knows it.
Ben will make way for new blood in 2011.
MM,
Would you say the development of the side this year has been a success, with Ben in the side and on the list?
It would be hard to say no. So why change it?
We have 2 options:
A) Delist Cousins and gain and extra player through the draft either a pick 80 odd or a Pre Season Pick, who could be another Ben Nason or another Relton Roberts. Lose Cousins experience and teaching and guidance and 1%'s on field.
B) Keep Cousins, keep the development consistent like this year but also have everything he brings to the players added to the 2011 draftees. Lose the opportunity of the next Ben Nason or Relton Roberts.
Posistives and Negatives for both options. Keeping Cousins is the safer one.
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Bit of a non issue in my book. If he plays on, no worries, he'll be there for another year of midfield education. If not, he's done his job, his life is back on track, and a young player or two gets a crack at a spot in the midfield.
No big loss either way.