BEN COUSINS [merged]

[mightytiges]

Waiting for the media to make a big deal about Cousins being absent from training today at Vic Park  .

[3rogerd]

Spent some time in WA over the Xmas break and was speaking to some close friends who do know Ben (quite well) and what they told me doesnt damper my excitement in him coming to Tigerland.

He didnt stop while on his break in actual fact he ramped up his training but was told to temper it apparently.

He is very impressed with OUR football club...very impressed.

[bojangles17]

meaningless article, was there anyone suggesting he wouldn't ...we have seen with Browny that a class player at 80% can still make an impact...if cuzz can realise 80% of his best, he will be a great player for us

[wayne again]

Spent some time in WA over the Xmas break and was speaking to some close friends who do know Ben (quite well) and what they told me doesnt damper my excitement in him coming to Tigerland.

He didnt stop while on his break in actual fact he ramped up his training but was told to temper it apparently.

He is very impressed with OUR football club...very impressed.

Well there you go if he is very impressed with our club (excellent) and has been told to temper his training, it goes to show that this artical can be disposed of with all the rest of the crappy ones that will no doubt come out in the course of the year, on Ben Cousins.
It will be fantastic having him come on and off the bench this season. I AM RAPTED GO BEN GO TIGS.

[mightytiges]

Match fitness wise then yeah captain Quinn obvious Cuz needs time to get back to 100%. He'll probably spend the first half of the season playing more as a half-forward similar to Cotch last year. He was starting to play half-forward as well as the midfield at the Eagles anyway before he got kicked out of the AFL.

Skill-wise he is on the money already. We watched him closely yesterday at Punt Rd (along with 30 others just there to see Cuz train lol) because a mate heard what turned out to be a crap rumour that Cuz had redone his hammy while back in Perth over Christmas. Cuz was moving fine and he had no probs kicking and every pass hit and was to advantage of his new young teammates training with him. If he can get matchfit and his hammies hold up he's still got the goods and knows it.

[Hellenic Tiger]

Yep 77 days out from round 1 and some tosser reckons Cuz is 12 weeks away from match fitness. Go figure

Too many insignificant people have been given the opportunity to provide their insignificant opinions over matters that do not concern them in anyway.

[mightytiges]

Too true Tucker. You don't hear anyone commenting on Fev or anyone else in rehab and on modified training programs. At least Cousins is able to run around and kick the footy unlike those to restricted to just handballing on the spot for 30 minutes.

[Jacosh]

Wouldnt you think the media's time would be better spent looking at the Bummers.  They had a reported 20 players (a record from what was reported) having operations of various kinds over the break.  Thats half the team on modified training or at least behind the eight ball for the start of the season.

[mightytiges]

Wouldnt you think the media's time would be better spent looking at the Bummers.  They had a reported 20 players (a record from what was reported) having operations of various kinds over the break.  Thats half the team on modified training or at least behind the eight ball for the start of the season.

I saw that too. Even McVeigh has only now just started running again. Bombers heading for a bottom 2 finish with half their list underdone. The reason though the media is more interested in Cousins than any of the Bombers is because Essendon is now mostly a list of no-namers and average senior players. Their spine still relies on 30+ y.o. Lloyd, Lucas and Fletcher. It's going to get worse before it gets better for the Dons and poor Knighter will cop the flack from disgruntled Bomber fans who still live in denial and think they will finish top 4-8 if you read the Essendon vs Carlton thread on bomberblitz  .

[Mr Magic]

Wouldnt you think the media's time would be better spent looking at the Bummers.  They had a reported 20 players (a record from what was reported) having operations of various kinds over the break.  Thats half the team on modified training or at least behind the eight ball for the start of the season.

Wooden spoon here they come.

[one-eyed]

Brownless backs Cousins
BY CHRIS DUTTON
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL - Canberra Times
12/01/2009

Former Geelong Cats player Billy Brownless has backed fallen superstar Ben Cousins to make a successful return to the AFL but without a Brownlow Medal for now.

Brownless was in Canberra on Friday as part of his promotions role to cast an eye over the capital's backyard cricket players as they battled for a spot in the national semi-finals in Brisbane next month.

He was confident Cousins could still be a quality AFL player but doubted whether the six-time All Australian could regain his 2005 Brownlow Medal-winning form.

The Richmond Tigers revived Cousins' playing career in the pre-season draft after he was forced out of the game for a year and a half to undertake drug rehabilitation.

When the Tigers signed the former West Coast premiership player, punters installed him as a Brownlow favourite.

When the market first opened with Cousins at $26 on ACTTAB Sportsbet, the public put more money on the 30-year-old than any other player in the league in the first hour of betting.

But Brownless gave Cousins almost no chance of reclaiming the league's top individual honour in his return.

''I think he'll be all right,'' Brownless said. ''If he wins a Brownlow Medal it will be unbelievable but I can't see him winning it ... but I can see him being a very good player.

''I think he's going to be fantastic for some of the kids at Richmond even if it's just to show them the way at training.''

The Tigers have finished at the bottom of the ladder twice in the last four seasons and haven't made the finals since 2001.

Brownless said Cousins could be the spark the Tigers were desperately seeking.

''It might take him a bit to get going and it's very difficult to come back after a year and a half out of the game.

''But he's a very fit player and I think getting back into it is going to be good for his rehab as well.

''The Tigers, everyone talks about them, but they haven't really produced. Sometimes you need a spark like this to come along and as long as he [Cousins] doesn't break down, they could make the [top] eight, but that's about it.''

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/afl/brownless-backs-cousins/1404436.aspx?storypage=0

[Ox]

they could make the [top] eight, but that's about it.''

as opposed to getting to a Grand Final and choking ?

[mightytiges]

A bit hard to produce anything yet in January before the season has even started Billy .


ps. Ox you'll have to put a trademark on "Brackets" too lol.

[one-eyed]

Tony Shaw was on 3aw again tonight talking about how he wouldn't have picked up Cousins  .

When a Tiger supporter called in saying Cousins is going to prove you wrong, Shaw just said "well if I'm wrong I'll put my hand up". Then why make the negative comment in the first place if you aren't willing to stand by it ???.

[Hellenic Tiger]

Tony Shaw is a garbage man by profession. Hence garbage regularly comes out of his mouth. He lives and breathes garbage. If you look hard enough when you watch fox footy this year you'll see how filthy he really is and that he resembles something rotten and insignificant. If he was not Collingwood Captain in October 1990 and thus been given the sympathy vote from a Collingwood friendly media group he would still be cleaning the mucus excretement and vomit from Smith St Collingwood as he did during his playing days. Shaw is merely just another bogan who is out of his depth in the media and his acumen of putting his foot in his mouth is second to none.