Tigers lash Ben Cousins relapse claim * Michael Warner
* From: Herald Sun
* April 07, 2010 RICHMOND last night reacted furiously to claims recovering drug addict Ben Cousins had suffered a relapse.
High-profile AFL player manager Ricky Olarenshaw incensed the Tigers by declaring Cousins had again gone off the rails.
"I'm not one for gossip and rumours but I've been hearing murmurings for probably the last month about Ben Cousins. And I got some things confirmed to me over the weekend, and it was talked about publicly on the airwaves yesterday, so I'm not the first one to talk about it, but I believe that Ben Cousins may have lost his way again," Olarenshaw told radio station Gold FM yesterday.
"He did train with the club on Thursday and then he was taken out of the team because of knee soreness - that's what the club used (to explain his absence). We know that he was in hospital about two weeks ago and there have been a lot of sightings of him out and about with his behaviour a little bit erratic.
"He's been out with his shirt off and this sort of thing and it's sad.
"It's the last thing you want to hear, because we do want to see him do well, but I think in the very near future there will be an announcement made about what he is doing playing wise.
"And I think he will step away from the game. That's what I'm hearing."
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Olarenshaw, a member of Essendon's 1993 premiership team, told listeners he had heard the information from sources close to the 2005 Brownlow medallist.
But Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale scoffed at the claims.
"It is a well-known fact that as a part of his condition of employment, Ben is drug tested by the AFL up to three times a week," Gale said.
"We get these rumours and speculation on a daily basis relating to Ben," Gale said. "I am not quite sure what motivated Ricky to make these comments. You would have to ask Ricky about that.
"Ben will be available for selection this week against Sydney and we look forward to his ongoing contribution at the club."
Olarenshaw tried to back away from his comments last night. He claimed he had heard about Cousins' supposed relapse on a weekend radio show, but could not nominate a station or broadcaster.
"All I was doing was recapping speculation over the weekend that it wasn't a knee injury that was stopping him from playing," Olarenshaw said.
"There have been rumours going around about Ben for a while, whether he is living a clean life. I hear rumours all the time but I don't know if they are true or not. I was never saying this was fact."
Richmond contacted AFL Players' Association chief executive Matt Finnis to express outrage at Olarenshaw, who manages Cousins' teammate Daniel Jackson. Finnis later called Olarenshaw to voice his disapproval.
An AFLPA spokesman said last night: "We would hope all player agents, when making public comments, do so in a responsible and well-informed manner."
The injured Cousins, 31, is no certainty to return against Sydney at the SCG on Saturday night.
Cousins could not be contacted for comment.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tigers-lash-ben-cousins-relapse-claim/story-e6frf9if-1225850673545
