Cousins a leader, but a babysitter? BARRY HALL
April 18, 2010 From the reports this week, you could be excused for thinking Ben Cousins was the one who was drunk and carrying on instead of playing the peacemaker. Photo: Getty Images
I NEVER thought I would be saying it, but this week I actually felt a bit sorry for Ben Cousins. Don't get me wrong, off-field incidents look bad for our game, and I would never condone them. I'm sure we would like to never see another headline about incidents in bars and nightclubs, but it's part of life.
I know only too well that if you've dug a hole for yourself in the past, when something else that's related happens, you're usually the first target people take aim at. Because of Cousins' past, the scrutiny on him off the field is massive.
I only know what I've read in the paper about the Richmond post-match incident in Sydney - a young bloke had too much to drink, got loud and out of hand, and some teammates, including Cousins, used a bit of force to try to settle the situation. I also know only too well from my own experiences at a previous club that what you hear through the media is quite often only a part of - and not the full - story.
But judging by the reports early in the week, you could be excused for thinking Cousins was the one who was drunk and carrying on, instead of the one trying to get a young guy, Daniel Connors, to pull his head in. In hindsight, sure he would have been better off having an early night, but you don't go somewhere expecting the night to end as it did.
I know the way it works - put Cousins in a headline, he sells papers. One of the interesting things I heard was that Cousins, ''as a leader of the club'', should have made sure the situation never got to the point it did. As an experienced player, a senior guy, you do have to set an example, but a babysitter?
''Leadership group'' is sport's latest buzz phrase. They are popping up everywhere, across all sports. At times it almost seems like, ''well other clubs have got one, we'd better get a leadership group''.
I was on the leadership group at the Swans. We took it seriously and we were taken seriously. I guess the significant thing was the respect you have of your teammates because they are the ones who voted you in.
The biggest thing about leadership groups is that they have to have the power. There's no point having such groups in place if they're just token and the club and the coaches are not going to act on what the group feels is best.
They can also go too far. There's a fine line between empowering your leadership group and the power going too far. If you can find somewhere in between, you will have a successful leadership group, and that will flow on to the team.
Then you have the question of how far that leadership group extends. Is it just on the field, or around the club, or when you're away, or throughout the whole season no matter where you are and who you are with? I know whenever something goes wrong now, the first thing that seems to be said is what has the leadership group done about it, or the leadership group should have stopped this happening.
We're all aware of our responsibilities off-field nowadays, and that's all fine as you've got to keep your group in check. But it can't just be up to the leadership group to keep blokes in check off the field.
We are football players and the leadership group should tailor things towards playing football and on-field leadership. I understand the off-field stuff is an issue, but it's up to the individual to know what's required of him and what's not acceptable. We are talking about grown young men, not kids with no idea of right and wrong. And if a problem does arise, any or all of his teammates can and should step in, not just someone because he is a leader.
I'm not in our leadership group at the Bulldogs, but when I was in Sydney, if I had to talk to a young bloke about something, I tried to put him in my situation now. I've been there and done whatever it was they had done. I used to stuff up all the time when I was young and stupid. They are learning, they are young, but they realise I was just like them, and I can see it more clearly now, and know what mistakes not to make. I found the fact I had been through it myself showed them I really did know what I was talking about.
There wasn't any leadership groups when I was younger. I was bit of a rebel back then so I probably wouldn't have taken much notice of them if there was.
I don't know the circumstances of what went on in Sydney last Saturday night, only what I have heard. Did the kid deserve eight weeks? I don't know, but I know sometimes pulling someone aside and talking him through it a bit, giving him a solid rap over the knuckles, can sometimes get through better than a long suspension.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/cousins-a-leader-but-a-babysitter-20100417-sll1.html
