No Eagle so Cousins flips bird
Tim Clarke, Perth | May 31, 2009
CONTROVERSIAL Tigers star Ben Cousins could face an AFL sanction after his return to Perth began in bizarre fashion with a one-finger salute to the TV cameras in the Subiaco changing rooms.
With Cousins' first game back in Perth since his sacking from West Coast, the former Eagles captain was always going to have his every move scrutinised, and his decision to salute the watching audience could draw some action from the league.
The delight of a first win in Tigers colours, with Richmond pipping Fremantle by three points, could be dampened by a charge from the AFL, which could leave Cousins facing a fine of up to $1200 under the match review penalties.
That could be reduced to $900 because it is the Brownlow medallist's first offence.
Richmond coach Terry Wallace said he would not comment until he had seen the footage.
"To be honest I don't know, obviously there was word in the rooms, but until you have a look at it I am talking out of school if I am talking on something I have not viewed," Wallace said.
"It is up to the adjudicators to deal with whatever they need to deal with, it is a judgement call. We will speak internally once we have had a look — but there are people in place to handle those sort of things."
It was the start of an eventful return for Cousins to the ground he used to regularly grace, with his introduction off the bench coming after Brett Deledio dislocated a finger.
He then fired up his side with a goal with his first kick of the game, and provided more footage for review by the AFL match review panel with a spirited exchange with Docker youngster Matt de Boer.
Finishing with 25 possessions, two marks, two clearances and a goal, it was the first win for Cousins in the AFL since his last game at Subiaco with the Eagles.
"It's nice to have a win," Cousins said. "I'd like to thank (Richmond president) Gary March and the whole Richmond footy club for the opportunity to play footy. I just love playing with these blokes. Especially to the Richmond faithful who've accepted me, but also to the WA football public, they've been very good to me and I don't forget where I come from."
Booed by the Freo fans, Cousins said he would "have been disappointed with anything different".
Asked again about his future, Wallace said the overriding emotion was relief, and pleasure he could bring a similar emotion to Tiger fans.
"Relief — I had a lot of text messages from a lot of people, including many of the other senior coaches in the competition," Wallace said.
"I just said to them the only thing I was looking for was to put some smiles back on the faces of a few people around Punt Road. It was more about having some relief for some people that worked very, very hard."
As well as a heart-wrenching loss, Fremantle looks set to pay a heavy price on the injury front, with up to four players in doubt for its next match, including Stephen Hill and Des Headland who did not reappear after half-time.
It will mean a likely debut for Hayden Ballantyne, who made a successful return from injury in the WAFL.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/no-eagle-so-cousins-flips-bird/2009/05/31/1243456792900.html
