Follow the link for the video of the incident.... Tiger Ben Cousins played against Port with broken handJon Ralph | May 19, 2009
THE turbulent season of Richmond recruit Ben Cousins was yesterday derailed by a similar injury to the one that ended Jim Stynes' record run of consecutive games.
Cousins last night had a plate inserted in his left hand at Vimy House in Kew to repair a spiral fracture of the metacarpal bone.
He is expected to miss at least one game, although Richmond hopes he will return in Round 10 to play Fremantle at Subiaco Oval.
Cousins broke the bone in the first 10 minutes of the Tigers' loss to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.
He pushed through the pain to amass 24 possessions in the best of his three games for the Tigers.
Cousins appeared to mishandle a ruck tap from Troy Simmonds in the centre square, the first indication something was wrong.
He then wrung his hand in pain and it swelled throughout the first quarter.
Now, after missing five weeks with a hamstring injury, his season has again been disrupted.
"It was an extraordinary effort for Ben to play out the remainder of the match after being hurt so early," Tigers football manager Ross Monaghan said yesterday.
"We are hopeful he will only be out for one match."
Stynes missed two weeks with the injury in April 1998 after 244 consecutive games.
Cousins, 31 next month, is one of several Tigers who will be under scrutiny to hold their positions on the list with a new coach expected at Punt Rd next year.
As he showed on Sunday, he is still capable of extremely good football, but has struggled to stay on the field.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25503867-19742,00.html
