BEN COUSINS [merged]

[one-eyed]

Cousins already paying dividends: Coughlan
richmondfc.com.au
By Mic Cullen
Tue 20 January, 2009

RICHMOND midfielder Mark Coughlan says having fallen Eagle Ben Cousins at the club is already paying dividends.

The Tigers snared the Brownlow Medallist with the final pick in last year's NAB AFL Pre-season Draft, and he appeared on the track the following day, watched by about 1000 supporters and myriad television crews and journalists.

Coughlan hasn't played since 2006 after two knee reconstructions and then chronic hamstring issues, but said having Cousins at Punt Rd was a major positive for the club.

"Definitely – it's just been good having him out on the track, he doesn't miss too many kicks," Coughlan said at a hot Punt Rd on Tuesday.

"He's a bit of a Rolls-Royce out there, you know? It's good to listen to him talk about his days at the Eagles, and all that sort of thing.

"He's a premiership player and Brownlow Medallist, so it's going to be good having him out there."

Although Cousins is not expected to play in Richmond's opening NAB Cup game at Subiaco Oval against Fremantle on February 15, the Tigers are planning a gala dinner for up to 1000 people to celebrate his return to WA.

Fellow Sandgroper Coughlan said he wasn't worried about the event overshadowing his long-awaited return to the track, and said it was important to have the 31-year-old's experience around the club given Richmond's young list.

"I was just a bit disappointed that I couldn't get a car-park the first day he arrived, it was a bit tough with all you guys (media) here," he said with a laugh.

"But no, he's looking pretty good and doing all the training stuff.

"The game's getting younger, so it's pretty important to have not only him, but Kane Johnson, Nathan Brown, Richo and Joel Bowden around as well.

"A couple of old heads to get the young blokes going – they need that support not only on the ground, but off it."

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsid=71368

[wayne]

Every Richmond player interviewed is always going to have a second story written about what they think of Cousins.

We're going to use up a lot of space in the newspapers. 

[Ox]

"Definitely – it's just been good having him out on the track, he doesn't miss too many kicks," Coughlan said at a hot Punt Rd on Tuesday.

"He's a bit of a Rolls-Royce out there, you know? It's good to listen to him talk about his days at the Eagles, and all that sort of thing.

"He's a premiership player and Brownlow Medallist, so it's going to be good having him out there."

"But no, he's looking pretty good and doing all the training stuff.

"The game's getting younger, so it's pretty important to have not only him, but Kane Johnson, Nathan Brown, Richo and Joel Bowden around as well.

"A couple of old heads to get the young blokes going – they need that support not only on the ground, but off it."

add this crap to the cliche thread.

[mightytiges]

Every Richmond player interviewed is always going to have a second story written about what they think of Cousins.

We're going to use up a lot of space in the newspapers. 

Who says Cousins is the second story lol. You can imagine the journo going up to Cogs and asking "so how are you doing Mark?" and whatever Cogs answered the journo's thinking to himself yeah whatever before leaping into questions about Cousins.

Btw seems Cuz isn't having any probs stretching out his hammies when kicking.

[mightytiges]

I felt for the other players today. There was this little kid waiting outside the rooms for an autograph from Benny and as each player came out the kid would hold up his autograph book and pen and go "Cousins? ..... nah I want Cousins"  . When Collo came out he said "yes I going well thanks" as he passed the kid lol.

And even though today's training session wasn't advertised, this west coast supporter still came over from Perth to see Cousins train with us and get his autograph. She also wanted to get a photo with him but we told her Cuz won't do photos as he can't trust what people will do with them.

[blaisee]

i went to training today mt and cousins was just superb.

He is a leader in his actions out there, he was professional and relentless with his running.

My expectations of cousins this year were amplified by what i saw today. He really looked great

[mightytiges]

Yep blaisee there's no doubt he's still got it. The test for him is getting his match fitness right as well as getting his body after 18 months without playing a game again use to be clobbered during a game, recovering within a week, clobbered again, recovering, clobbered, etc so his body holds up for the whole season and he doesn't end up with soft tissue injuries that have him sitting in the grandstand. That's the main reason why I think he'll playing mainly forward (HFF, FP) for at least the first half of this season. It protects his body more as he builds back up his match fitness. No doubt he's fit running wise and cut already. He just needs the match fitness and avoid soft tissue injuries.

[Stripes]

I would also suspect TW will throw Cousins into the middle when the game is in the balance before moving him back to the HFF spot once again. Great option to have.

Stripes

[one-eyed]

I couldn't find this on the web but another day and another Cousins at a restaurant story plus a pic in the paper hardcopy too apparently...

-----------------------------------
Cousins teams up
By Fiona Byrne and Jane Metlikovec
Herald-Sun, Friday 23 JAN 2009, Page 028

FOOTY'S former bad boy, Ben Cousins, was in good dinner company.

The Richmond recruit was dining with former footy high-flyers at Riva restaurant at the St Kilda marina on Wednesday night.

Cousins joined dual Brownlow medallist Peter Moore, former Geelong champion Sam Newman, Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton, and Carlton and St Kilda gun Aaron Hamill at a dinner to open the restaurant's new Palm Deck.

Cousins arrived holding hands with a woman, but the pair declined to be photographed.

Meanwhile, despite reports, Cousins is not a contender for Cleo Bachelor of the Year. The Brownlow medallist was approached by the magazine, but declined to be part of the competition.

[Mr Magic]

Honestly one eyed, I would be happier if these Benny puff pieces weren't even posted here.
I am over it. Let's boycott this crap.

[mightytiges]

They forgot the big burly man .

[2JD]

They forgot the big burly man .

LOLOLOL MT, the duffers!

[Ox]

yeh,and he took a poo as well....i know because when he went to the dunny i followed him to ensure he wasn't loading up 

[Tiger Tragic]

yeh,and he took a poo as well....i know because when he went to the dunny i followed him to ensure he wasn't loading up 

If he did, I could just imagine the filthy media slime buckets stepping into the cubicle after he came out, in the hope that he might have left a skiddy that they could tak a sample of to send to their lab for testing and hopefully running a front page story the next day 

[richmondrules]

yeh,and he took a poo as well....i know because when he went to the dunny i followed him to ensure he wasn't loading up 

If he did, I could just imagine the filthy media slime buckets stepping into the cubicle after he came out, in the hope that he might have left a skiddy that they could tak a sample of to send to their lab for testing and hopefully running a front page story the next day 

Someone will have got a stool sample don't you worry.

Got a mental picture of Damien Barrett with his head in the pooper, a sample bottle in hand with a scooping implement and a cotton bud.

A flash back to his school days with lunchtimes spent enjoying a royal flush.