Tigers unlikely to re-sign CousinsCAROLINE WILSON
July 7, 2010HAVING overdosed on a drug prescribed to him by one of several doctors in his life, Ben Cousins' greatest concern upon regaining his composure yesterday was any long-term damage he might have done to his chances of playing on next season.
The fact remains, however, that Richmond, while totally supportive of its problematic midfielder, was unlikely to offer Cousins a new contract and seems equally unlikely to do so now. The 32-year-old was always going to prove high maintenance, but in terms of on-going support, two years of tolerating the perils of a medicated athlete have proved more than enough.
Cousins was released from Epworth Hospital early yesterday afternoon and, as is his wont, he managed to conceal his departure by exiting from a back entrance while hospital staff had believed that he might have addressed the media on the way out.
His overdose in the early hours of Monday had not involved regular sleeping medication such as Temazepam or Stilnox - the latter used as a mixer with Red Bull so infamously in rugby league circles last year to gain an ecstasy-like high - but was a prescribed sedative to regularly help him sleep.
As Cousins explained it to the Richmond medical staff, his inability to sleep had led to the overdose.
The club accepts that his girlfriend's explanation was accurate - that he had drunk about three glasses of wine. But serious concerns linger regarding his lifestyle.
Determined to play against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, he told friends, including 3AW broadcaster Gerard Healy, that he planned to have a private training session today with Richmond coaches.
But Cousins spent the best part of Monday unconscious in hospital and was only released from Epworth's intensive care unit at dawn yesterday. He has missed Monday's rehabilitation session and training yesterday, and the Tigers have a six-day break before meeting the Dockers. Surely such an engagement would have torn hamstring written all over it.
Still, Cousins remained determined to join training tomorrow and insisted that his toxicology results confirmed he had not been on a drinking bender. He called AFL doctor Peter Harcourt to ask for an immediate drug test to prove there was no illegal substance in his system.
The Tigers trained yesterday and were addressed by coach Damian Hardwick, who assured his players that Cousins was out of danger and returning home from hospital.
Captain Chris Newman said his teammate's release from hospital had come as a major relief to the team and all at the club had been concerned for him.
In terms of Cousins' personal concerns, his plight has damaged more than simply his own reputation.
The revelation once again that caffeine use is rife in AFL playing circles has hurt the game's image. AFL medical staff, along with club doctors, were angry last night at what they regarded as inflammatory comments by sports doctor Peter Larkins, who claimed the stimulant should be banned.
Sydney's Tadhg Kennelly said yesterday he was not surprised that Cousins and other players required sleeping pills after games, but added that a couple of glasses of wine were enough to put him to sleep.
But Cousins' plight painted a picture of players punctuating their game days with uppers and downers.
Although the AFL continues to downplay the issue, the truth is that once caffeine became a legal drug in the game it has been abused by some footballers.
Several weeks ago, Fox Sports' cameras captured a bucket of No-Doz in the Brisbane Lions' rooms being dispensed to footballers before a game.
Richmond has confirmed that Cousins took No-Doz during the game against Sydney on Sunday but the sleeping issue, according to the club, is an ongoing one for the player and has proved a problem not only on game days.
On this occasion, Cousins had the support of an elite football club to attend to his medical emergency. With the Tigers having thrown Cousins a lifeline 19 months ago, the question remains how his highly unorthodox and medicated lifestyle will cope without that support come 2011.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-unlikely-to-resign-cousins-20100706-zz0y.html
