Cousins misses flight to rehab

[evertonfc]

Looking tanned, relaxed and free of his demons, Cousins flew out to LA as several AFL clubs circled the fallen champion.

St Kilda and Collingwood are both understood to have expressed interest, with conditions.

On the money.

I'd say we're about equal favourite to have a crack at him, to the point where I'd say I'd be shocked if we weren't in for him if he's available in the PSD.

I've heard some good things today. Fingers crossed.

[evertonfc]

if the StKFC gets a known drug addict on our books the club is in more trouble than I thought and my sense of moral integrity means I will no longer be able to support the club.

I can think of at least four blokes on our list in 2007 with extremely large question marks hanging over their heads over certain incididents.

Funnily enough, once they're in St Kilda colours, nobody bats an eyelid.

Heaps threatened to tear up their memberships when we signed Gardiner. Nobody did. And what's he done wrong since he arrived? Nothing. Not a thing. What a cancer (as some people called him) he has turned out to be

I find this hypocriscy disgusting - people making moral judgements on others, then making exceptions and excuses for their own players. The height of tribalism; not morality.

Anyway, this is my football club, not my church. I won't make moral judgements on the players unless they harm others in the community. What Cousins has done, has been to the detriment of himself. He didn't do it to enhance his performance, let's get that clear.

Riccardo, no offence, but if you don't buy a membership next year - good riddance. I'll buy an extra one. And I'll upgrade it to social club, so that when Cousins picks up 34 touches and four goals in the Prelim against Geelong, I'll be able to watch him do it all again for us the next week in the GF.

And I'll party twice as hard knowing the club did it with no moral indictments on its conscience to win it.

Bring it on. #9 is free for you, Benny.

[SENsei]

Well said everton.

[saintspremiers]

concur Everton.....Benny out of Perth may not be the Iceman and turn into just a plain darn good footballer......if he comes to St.Kilda, no doubt Gardiner's motivation levels will lift ten fold, which is all good.

No doubt Dimwit will disallow Cousins to register for the draft now that St.Kilda is showing some level of interest.

[n1ck]

Nicely said Ev.

Ill swap you one of my guernseys for that SC membership

[evertonfc]

Benny out of Perth may not be the Iceman and turn into just a plain darn good footballer......if he comes to St.Kilda, no doubt Gardiner's motivation levels will lift ten fold, which is all good.

Great point. Gardy would know he's nearing the end, as is Cousins (three years of elite footy left in both of them, you'd think - still a large amount of time when you think about it), and they'd love once last chance to have some huge years together on the field, and prove everyone wrong.

No doubt Dimwit will disallow Cousins to register for the draft now that St.Kilda is showing some level of interest.

Haha - you just know the one time we could get one back over the AFL, they'd move heaven and earth to keep us from doing it

[riccardo]

I'm glad your willing to show public support for junkies, I'm not that morraly bankrupted or jaded yet.

Lack of success has made some people incredibly desperate for wins at any price, I find that undeniably sad.

Look, you can have your opinions on the matter, and I, by the same token, and entitled to mine. Luckily, I have more in my life than just football, and my convictions mean more to me than any game ever could.

[Riewoldting]

Luckily, I have more in my life than just football, and my convictions mean more to me than any game ever could.

You're implying that those who want Cousins, or alternatively those that would tolerate Cousins in the interests of winning a premiership, have nothing more in their lives than Australian Rules football.

It's a demonstrable falsehood and, I'd suggest, offensive to most people on this forum, not just those who advocate recruiting Cousins.

[Saint Mik]

Riccardo there is no way that your point of veiw stands up because you are putting all of your opinion and veiws on one player alone.

Get with the real world and realise that there is drugs everywhere and its a real problem along with many other problems in our current climate of everyday life, I cant beleive you are going to give the saints away over this, how did you go when our own players were in the spotlight for doing the wrong things in the past and over the history of our club.

Its not the first time and it definatley wont be the last that we as a club do something that has a ? attatched to it.

[evertonfc]

I'm glad your willing to show public support for junkies, I'm not that morraly bankrupted or jaded yet.

It's my football club, not my church.

Lack of success has made some people incredibly desperate for wins at any price, I find that undeniably sad.

Yet you loved Fraser Gehrig, didn't you?

Look, you can have your opinions on the matter, and I, by the same token, and entitled to mine. Luckily, I have more in my life than just football, and my convictions mean more to me than any game ever could.

Good for you. I hope you sleep better at night.

Footy for me is about characters, fun, having a beer and enjoying watching my team win. If there's a few rogue sorts in the team - meh - nothing has changed over the years.

Time for perspective & the hypocriscy to stop, IMO.

[n1ck]

Morally bankrupt

Football is a game. I support my team, no matter how bad we are, how good we are, or who plays for us... but by God, I want to win. Bad.

If a player with a troubled history or past (note PAST; not present) will help us win a Premiership, we should do whatever it takes to get him on our list.

Im almost hoping we do sign Cousins just so you dont renew your membership.

You're the perfect human being, congratulations on your high horse.

[LTN16]

Cousins misses flight to rehab

Because of ICE on the Runway ??

[stinger]

i don't think anyone writing for the daily telegraph would rewally have a clue if st kilda were interested in benny or not....the melbourne paper that i quoted above said we weren't interested.....


...caro says ..
"AFL could act on Cousins

Caroline Wilson | October 26, 2007

THE AFL is looking at charging Ben Cousins with bringing the game into disrepute in a move that would almost certainly result in the drug-addicted 2005 Brownlow medallist being banned from playing football next season.

While Cousins said yesterday that he wanted to return to football, no club has yet put its hand up to recruit the 29-year-old, who would almost certainly be prevented from returning before 2009 if the AFL Commission had its way.

The player was asked if he wanted to resume training with a view to playing again and replied "absolutely" before boarding a flight to Sydney, saying he was looking forward to "getting away".

It is expected Cousins was preparing to return to the US States to again seek professional help for substance abuse."I haven't decided mate, I'm not sure," Cousins said, when quizzed on how long he would be out of Perth.

Asked if it would be months, he replied: "Hopefully not. I'd like, hopefully, to be training by then."

The league is exploring its legal options should Cousins challenge its bid to refuse to accept his nomination for the draft. The commission, led by chairman Mike Fitzpatrick, is scheduled to decide on both Cousins and West Coast — which again faces punishment ranging from fines to the loss of draft picks or premiership points — when it meets over two days on November 19 and 20.

The national draft takes place four days after the commission talks, which while complicated by the West Australian police decision to drop the unlawful drugs possession charge against Cousins, still seems likely to take punitive action against the footballer who again failed to co-operate with the law.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou this week contacted Cousins' Melbourne-based adviser Ricky Nixon in a bid to find out whether Cousins would nominate to play next season. Cousins' father Bryan also contacted at least one AFL club suggesting a meeting with the player before he flew to California.

"I wouldn't assume he wants to play football again next year," Demetriou said last night. "Do I think he wants to play football again? Yes I do, but the question is when.

"As we speak, he's a non-registered footballer and he is out of the system. Should he nominate, we will have a plan in place but I wouldn't speculate about that before the commission hands down its decision."

Nixon, who spoke with Cousins yesterday before the disgraced footballer boarded his Los Angeles-bound flight, said he would not debate the AFL's plan to punish Cousins until the player himself decided whether he would pursue a club next season.

"He told me he wants to play again but when that will be I don't know and I don't think he knows," said Nixon.

While Nixon believes there would be clubs interested in recruiting Cousins, the prevailing view from the AFL is that no club would place him on its list next season.

It also emerged that Cousins looked at a move to St Kilda at the end of the 2007 season, a move thwarted on the eve of trade week by coach John Worsfold. The Saints now seem unlikely to consider Cousins.

"I wanted to get him (Cousins) out of Perth a long time ago," said Nixon. "I spoke to them (St Kilda) about a possible trade and Ben went to John Worsfold, who knocked back the idea."

Collingwood, Carlton, Geelong, Brisbane and Melbourne have all ruled out considering the troubled footballer, while Richmond, which has the first pick in the pre-season draft, did not respond to The Age last night.

There was speculation the Tigers would look at placing Cousins on the long-term injury list for 2008 with a view to playing him in 2009.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said any such decision would ultimately rest with coach Mick Malthouse but that he doubted the club would consider Cousins."





...in realty benny ain't going to be playing at afl level............once a druggie........

[Dan Warna]

i dont think you can judge riccardo on make a moral judgement.

IMO riccardo has shown a lot of passion for the saints.

he continues to help organise the MW, he has several st kilda tattoos, he has what I thought to be SC membership for as long as I can remember, he was one of the original organisers of the inter team social games nearly a decade ago etc.

I am probably swinging towards buying my membership anyway, but I sincerely sympathise and am in concurrance with riccardo's moral dilemma.

IMO him drawing the line on what he will acceptable from the club is more than fair.

good on you riccardo for standing up for your moral values. If cousins does come to st kilda, I will have to heavily weight up my decision.

[stinger]

i dont think you can judge riccardo on make a moral judgement.

IMO riccardo has shown a lot of passion for the saints.

he continues to help organise the MW, he has several st kilda tattoos, he has what I thought to be SC membership for as long as I can remember, he was one of the original organisers of the inter team social games nearly a decade ago etc.

I am probably swinging towards buying my membership anyway, but I sincerely sympathise and am in concurrance with riccardo's moral dilemma.

IMO him drawing the line on what he will acceptable from the club is more than fair.

good on you riccardo for standing up for your moral values. If cousins does come to st kilda, I will have to heavily weight up my decision.

don't fret dan...he won't be coming to st kilda.....

[Dan Warna]

don't fret dan...he won't be coming to st kilda.....

either way I think the criticism of ric is poor form, he is voicing an opinion and I dont think anyone who has met him can doubt his passion for the saints.

[saint66au]

I actually dont think Ben Cousins will ever play another game of AFL Football? Why?? Becuse I dont think it interests him any more.

Maybe another spell of rehab might change his mind, but for Ben to return to AFL it would mean, at the very least, waving goodbye to his currents circle of friends and associates. I honestly believe at the moment he'd rather hang with his ratbag mates (even if he does kick his habit) than commit himslef to AFL Football. If thats the case, we dont touch him with a 40ft pole.

This is not moral high ground..show me a fit, comitted, focussed Ben Cousins making a genuine pledge to restart his life (not just his career) and IM interested for sure. I reckon he's a loooooooooooooooooong way away from that though

[stinger]

don't fret dan...he won't be coming to st kilda.....

either way I think the criticism of ric is poor form, he is voicing an opinion and I dont think anyone who has met him can doubt his passion for the saints.

never met him...seen him many times at close quarters around isle 35....been reading his posts for years...who could ever forget his cuz visit....no, he is a sainter to the core.....agree with what you are saying.....my missus...who was once a roos supporter...and is now a de facto saints supporter who is dragged all over australia to watch my team play......says that you would have to be really stupid to want benny at your club......

[TimeToShineFellas]

Ho hum here we go again........ mods are backing Benny to come to the Club and everyone else's opinions can go to hell hey.........

People like riccardo will get bagged on this forum because they don't support the mods who want that scumbag at St Kilda (FWIW I'd have Andrew Krakouer kicking 2 goals in the last 4 minutes of a Preliminary Final against Geelong with us 11 points down than that needle-jabbing junkie Cousins)............ similarly to people like joffaboy who opposed the board challenge but got shut down because his views differed to the love-in shown to Wasteaway....

FWIW I am glad St Kilda were quoted in the papers as not wanting to pick up Cousins. Some people are fooling themselves that Cousins will be ready to play next year. IT'S A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM - he won't be miraculously off his addiction by next year - I'd say at least a year and a bit.

We have our own matchwinners at this Club with RL giving the right teachings. We don't need that cancer....... and to think people opposed Spida Everitt coming back cos he tried to rip the Club off. Rather have some bloke ripping our Club off for money than a bloke helping people get ripped on a Saturday night.......

[jill]

The AFL will ban Ben - after all he did refuse a police blood test. At the very least they should insist on a 6 - 12 month rehab for his sake. No club should touch him prior to this.

[evertonfc]

either way I think the criticism of ric is poor form, he is voicing an opinion and I dont think anyone who has met him can doubt his passion for the saints.

Right. So he's allowed to implicitly criticise us, but we can't question him - even when he's put himself on the pedastal of morals and ethics? And Dan, do you doubt our passion for the club?

Ho hum here we go again........ mods are backing Benny to come to the Club and everyone else's opinions can go to hell hey.........

What does having a mod have to do with anything? When it comes to moderating, sure, we should exercise discretion, but as posters, I'd like to think we are still allowed to speak up when agree/disagree with something.

People like riccardo will get bagged on this forum because they don't support the mods who want that scumbag at St Kilda

I think you've missed the point. People don't follow what OWTS, n1ck, S66AU or myself say just because we're mods.

If they agree with us, it's because they agree with us. Likewise, when they disagree, they disagree. And that's the way it should be.

As posters, we hold no more weight than what the posters of this forum choose to give us. Just because we can delete porn threads doesn't make our posting ability any better or more valid than anyone elses.

But hey, all mods are evil, right

[Richter]

The AFL will ban Ben - after all he did refuse a police blood test. At the very least they should insist on a 6 - 12 month rehab for his sake. No club should touch him prior to this.

AFAIK the specific law allowing police to insist on a blood drug test is new and not been tested. Certainly it is not part of the standard procedure in Victoria - although that may have changed since I was involved in that sort of thing last year. Anyhow the point is that it is not cut and dried whether or not refusing the blood test is an illegal act - as it is for blood alcohol testing for instance.

Secondly the rehab may well need to be 6-12 month, but where should it be done? Most authorities actually suggest that a short period of residential rehab (such as BC has already done in Malibu) followed up by a community rehab (which he has presumably been undergoing in Perth these last few months) as the optimum clinical practice. The reason being it is not so hard for a person to get clean away from their usual environment but the real test is standing up to the pressures that come to bear when returning to the home setting and staying clean. During that period of community rehab people will usually be encouraged to continue their usual occupation and see counsellors and clinicians regularly.

It does seem that he may have had a relapse in his drug use although this is pure specualtion on our behalf - presumably precipitated by the death of a close friend.

[St Fidelius]

I hope he doesn't come to us and feel he wont....

But it will not stop me in supporting the Saints if he does come to us...

A good deal of supporters that follow the club mentioned this year on the two players (and football supporters in general ) know the two players that were involved in this years drug scandal and I bet those supporters will continue to buy their membership next year.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

if we want him...get him to the club...simple

i dont care about his off-field crap

all this crapola about culture is just that...crapola

players as people make choices..they arent forced into the big bad world of drug dependence...i have no doubt that if couzy bro was to get down to morabbin he wouldnt be classified as the demi-god he is in perth

just get him to the saints please

[mad saint guy]

It won't happen, but I wouldn't mind if he did come. Cousins is in the top 10 midfielders in the competition and would go a long way towards getting us a flag.

He might bring bad publicity from the media and opposition supporters, but I'd rather be hated and successful than liked and mediocre.