BEN COUSINS [merged]

[one-eyed]

Cousins opens up for the first time
David Lowden10:15 AEST Wed Feb 6 2008

Former AFL champion, Ben Cousins, has opened up for the first time about his battle with drug addiction as part of a campaign, 'KO to drugs'.

Before today, Cousins has spoken in a measured way about his sacking from the West Coast Eagles but today he let his guard down.

"I wanted to be here today because I'm somebody who through my issue has been very high profile and I am someone who's lost a livelihood," Cousins admitted.

"I've hurt a lot of the people who are close to me. At the end of the day I ran the gauntlet. There's a lack of public awareness ... I deep down dont think I had a choice," Cousins revealed.

"The very things that make a great footballer, some of those things lead me to fall into traps," Cousins added.

Whether or not he had a choice will be a matter for debate but what was remarkable about today, was Cousins was clearly prepared to discuss his addiction and what led to it at length, in the not too distant future.

"I apologise for not being able to go and get to my issue at the moment. There will come a day when I am able to go into detail about how it came about," Cousins said.

Cousins was speaking at a media conference held in Sydney to promote a public anti drugs campaign spearheaded by World champion boxer, Anthony Mundine.

Also at the conference were rugby league star, Sonny Bill Williams, and former Olympic hockey champion and track and field athlete, Nova Peris.

For the first time, Cousins spoke frankly about battle with his addiction which abruptly ended a football career which has earn't him hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

Journalists were limited to three questions to each pannellist but even so, Cousins revealed much about where he is at, saying he is in a good place at the moment and throwing himself 100 percent into rehabilitation which he is undergoing at a Sydney clinic.

When asked was it a tough battle Cousins said he didn't like to use the word tough but that it was something that required his total attention every minute of the day.

Any talk of a comeback to AFL football was "hypothetical" Cousins said.

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=376398

[one-eyed]

Cousins: Rehab 'an ongoing process
AAP
February 06, 2008 11:58am

BEN Cousins said this morning that he would like to start training with a VFL or WAFL side at some stage this year and described rehab as an "ongoing process".

Cousins was appearing at a press conference at Redfern in Sydney alongside Anthony Mundine, Nova Peris and Sonny Bill Williams to launch the World Boxing Association's annual "KO to Drugs" bout, to be hosted by Mundine on February 27.

The former West Coast Eagle is expected to partake in an exhibition boxing match at the event.

It was the first time Cousins had spoken about drugs since the West Coast Eagles terminated his contract in October and he was deregistered from the AFL.

"I wanted to be here today because the issues I have been through mean I have lost my livelihood and the thing I enjoyed doing the most," said Cousins.

"From a medical point of view a drug addiction is an illness. It is hard for people who have not been through this to understand."

Cousins said that he had hurt the people closest to him and those that he loves the most, before adding that he would not be the last AFL player to go through something like this.

"I'm good, life is good. In terms of rehab, it's an ongoing process. You just get to the point where you are completely over it.

"I would like to train with a WAFL or VFL side at some point this year. I would like to see how the body is ticking over so to speak."

Cousins apologised for not being able to go into the details of his drug addiction, but said that there would be "a time when I can".

However, he said he was "not embarassed" about his drug problem.

Mundine said earlier that Cousins can be a force for good in the fight against drugs.

"It's just great that he's lending his voice to help us get this message about drugs heard,'' Mundine said.

"It shows great strength for him to do that and hopefully people will support him for it."

He added: "He's been through it, he's lived through it, so people should listen to him."

"This problem is tearing up society so if we can deter just one or two people from using drugs it will have been worthwhile."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23168377-11088,00.html

[torch]

maybe

[Ox]

Scoring Cousins(pardon the Pun) would be a HUGE win for any club.

The guy is a champion.

I'd sign him@ 30 before most 20 year olds.

But its just another case of the RFC being stuffed in the ars by the greek turd.

I dont understand why we cant have first choice when he comes back...and he will.

[Francois Jackson]

Scoring Cousins(pardon the Pun) would be a HUGE win for any club.

The guy is a champion.

I'd sign him@ 30 before most 20 year olds.

But its just another case of the RFC being stuffed in the ars by the greek turd.

I dont understand why we cant have first choice when he comes back...and he will.

sorry im a little confused but who would have first choice if he does come back.
i would've thought it would be us unless that fat c... demetriou has changed the rules again

[Ox]

I dont think it accounts for jack.
We missed out.
stuffen greek cntu

[{X}]

isnt he a cypriot? lol

[Ox]

isnt he a cypriot? lol

LMAO - U mean a Grik in denial.

[Mr Magic]

I dont understand why we cant have first choice when he comes back...and he will.

It'll be a miracle if Cousins makes it back.

[mightytiges]

I dont understand why we cant have first choice when he comes back...and he will.

It'll be a miracle if Cousins makes it back.

Yep his AFL career is over. Even Cousins said "if" he felt like playing footy.

[mightytiges]

Thought it amusing and ironic when they said today that Cousins won't be able to hop in the ring for that exhibition bout because boxing authorities require him to take a blood (drug) test .

[one-eyed]

According to the papers today the AFL has given the green light for Cousins to join a VFL club. Collingwood are sniffing around.

---------------
A VFL club would have until June of this year to place Ben Cousins on its list, in the event that the troubled champion made an unlikely return to state level football this year.

While AFL boss Andrew Demetriou yesterday indicated the AFL would not stand in the way of Cousins playing at state level, Football Victoria said the VFL would only consider registering Cousins if it believed it was in his best interests to play.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/afl-gives-green-light-to-state-footy-for-cousins/2008/03/09/1204998284222.html

[one-eyed]

Would you want Cousins at Coburg?

Ben Cousins takes first step to AFL return
Mark Robinson | June 25, 2008

CONFESSED drug addict Ben Cousins will play state league football this year, his first major step in resuming an AFL career in 2009. It's believed Cousins will register with a VFL team before Monday's deadline.

It's possible Cousins, who is in Perth, may register to play in the WAFL.

But indications last night were he was likely to move to Victoria in the coming weeks and restart his football career.

Cousins is expected to fill out the necessary paperwork to play VFL, which would include a playing contract.

AFL rules do not allow him to play for VFL clubs Collingwood and Geelong - effectively AFL reserves teams - which means Cousins will play for one of 12 VFL clubs, including Tasmania.

As of late last night, the complex situation means the club Cousins would play for is not aware of his intentions.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23918055-19742,00.html

[Moi]

Coburg Yes, Richmond No.
Too old

[richmondrules]

Are we going to win a grand final in the next couple of years?
No probably not.

Do we have a lot of kids that are the future of our club?
Yes.

Do these kids need opportunities at AFL and Coburg senior level to gain experience and confidence?
Yes.

Would Cousins take up on of these valuable places in our AFL side (eventually perhaps) or the Coburg senior side?
Yes.

Is there a lot of discussion and angst about our young players playing Coburg reserves?
Yes, a fair bit.

Do I want Cousins at Coburg?
No.