AFLPA slams AFL over Cousins debacle...

[markp]

Players' union slams AFL for 'buckling' on Cousins

Jesse Hogan | December 4, 2008

THE AFL Players Association has effectively blamed the AFL for the shunning of Ben Cousins, accusing the league of having "bent and buckled" to demands for retribution against the recovering drug addict.

The AFLPA has written to the league accusing it of actions that "humiliate the fallen when they are at their neediest" in relation to the conditions placed on Cousins' potential return.

"I believe the Ben Cousins affair has brought the game of AFL football in to disrepute," doctor Pippa Grange, the AFLPA's general manager of psychology, people and culture, wrote. "At the whim of a fearful, baying public, fuelled by panicked and over-zealous politicians and a steamrolling media, the industry has bent and buckled, demonstrating that the human beings that are the hub of the AFL industry wheel are disposable, dismissable and quickly disregarded."

Cousins, the 2005 Brownlow medallist, was banned last year for bringing the game into disrepute.

e is attempting a comeback in this month's pre-season draft but will almost certainly be overlooked by all clubs with picks in it.

Grange said the way a drug addict was treated in the aftermath of their addiction was crucial to their ability to successfully recover.

"Drug addiction must surely be the least understood of all our illnesses as a society. We respond with cold dispatch and vitriolic disclaimers that exclude, marginalise and humiliate the fallen when they are at their neediest," Grange wrote, insisting drug addiction should be treated as a mental illness.

"We offer support to a point, then struggle with our own feelings of betrayal and disappointment when the inevitable relapse or ingratitude shows up."

The AFLPA psychologist described Cousins as a "young man seduced by his own glory and the glamour afforded him by his life as an AFL footballer", and queried why the league and its supporters had not embraced him with "courage and compassion".

"We don't do so well with tall poppies in Australia. Many would have found it more palatable had he fallen on his sword, wept for mercy and not looked good through the process," she wrote.

"It may have been more acceptable had he gone to rehab in Mansfield, not Malibu; had his public face been contrition, not cockiness."

The AFL's decision to impose strict conditions on any Cousins' return to the AFL — he had to agree to up to three drug tests a week to prove his recovery — was "an indictment on the game's ability to resist rhetoric pressures".

She also said those conditions, decided by the AFL commissioners, was akin to "moralising" on Cousins' situation.

"At the bottom of the scrapheap is a human being, a man whose story begins (and) remains unfinished," Grange wrote.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said last night that the league would not comment about the criticisms contained in Grange's letter.

.................................

Gotta agree, he's been treated like a pariah for having an illness.

AD is a despicable tool.

[Eastern]

Now, we just have to wait for Mr Gale and his mates to start hosing this down. Afterall, the AFLPA is heavily subsidised by the AFL and they won't be placing their AFL $$$$$$$ in jeopardy !!

[saintspremiers]

Now, we just have to wait for Mr Gale and his mates to start hosing this down. Afterall, the AFLPA is heavily subsidised by the AFL and they won't be placing their AFL $$$$$$$ in jeopardy !!

spot on.

No such thing as Freedom of Speech for the poor old AFLPA.

Mods - can this please stay on the main forum???

[stinger]

good article........i believe that ben was crucified....certainly the afl's stance frightened our faint hearted....or should that be chicken hearted administration.........

[Eastern]

good article........i believe that ben was crucified....certainly the afl's stance frightened our faint hearted....or should that be chicken hearted administration.........

Just to balance the arguement up;

Did Benny Boy do everything he possibly could have to ensure he had the best possible chance of being re-drafted? There are many who would say
A big fat NO[/b] !!

[saintspremiers]

good article........i believe that ben was crucified....certainly the afl's stance frightened our faint hearted....or should that be chicken hearted administration.........

Just to balance the arguement up;

Did Benny Boy do everything he possibly could have to ensure he had the best possible chance of being re-drafted? There are many who would say
A big fat NO[/b] !!

correct.

I blame Benny, the AFL and St Kilda.

All three are equally at fault IMO.

[markp]

good article........i believe that ben was crucified....certainly the afl's stance frightened our faint hearted....or should that be chicken hearted administration.........

Just to balance the arguement up;

Did Benny Boy do everything he possibly could have to ensure he had the best possible chance of being re-drafted? There are many who would say
A big fat NO[/b] !!

It's surely not a crime to be a bit of smart ar$e (pr1ck even), or to refuse to fully play the insincere contrition game like a politician (or a Rex Hunt) caught with his pants down.

He got a short haircut and went to a friend's funeral...

Maybe he should have cried on ACA for us? Or tried a Wayne Carey and done a disingenuous and hypocritical tell-all interview with New Idea ...I actually admired Ben more for not doing all that crap.

AD acts like he's the Godfather... he welcomed Cousins back with a public kiss and embrace, and then had him whacked in the carpark.

[ausfatcat]

correct.

I blame Benny, the AFL and St Kilda.

All three are equally at fault IMO.

What about every other team?? (with the exception of west coast) Surely they have rejected him as well and share the blame with the saints. Collingwood spent a lot of money looking into him as well.

[rodgerfox]

correct.

I blame Benny, the AFL and St Kilda.

All three are equally at fault IMO.

I blame Grant Thomas.

[WayneJudson42]

correct.

I blame Benny, the AFL and St Kilda.

All three are equally at fault IMO.

I blame Grant Thomas.

He's gone. Move on.

[Raven]

You know, it's a great place to post stuff, that good old opposition/general footy forum.

[markp]

You know, it's a great place to post stuff, that good old opposition/general footy forum.

Yup, we left him standing at the alter.... but let's wash our hands of the whole thing.

[Juggernaut]

My take on it is the AFL never wanted cousins to return at all.
Dressed it up like they would welcome him back with open arms hey were the good guys we’ll help you back on your feet, but put a huge burden, financially and possibly loss of premiership points, on any club with the intention of drafting him.
Bens been on the gear supposedly for 10 years, the AFL have a clear distinction between an Illicit drug and performance enhancing drugs. Cousins has been an outstanding player for most of his career culminating with a Brownlow. If Ben ever played again and never looked anything like the play he once was the AFL’s drug policy would be under huge pressure from the journo’s etc that there is no distinction between what the AFL class as Illicit and a performance enhancing drug. The AFL claim to have the best drug policy in any sporting code in the world would be just stupidity on their part.

[The Saintsational Man]

correct.

I blame Benny, the AFL and St Kilda.

All three are equally at fault IMO.

I blame Grant Thomas.

He's gone. Move on.

I blame Wayne Judson.

[bob__71]

What if the saints told him that if he went to the funeral they would not pick him up. Ben did what was the right thing for him to do, and the club did the right thing for them to do.

Its not a big deal. He just didnt get drafted....like lots of other young blokes....I guess a lot of them would have tales of hardship without reward as well.

Personally I would have rathered pick up Carol....He at least seemed to make some sort of effort.

[markp]

Personally I would have rathered pick up Carol....He at least seemed to make some sort of effort.

So he gets kudos for shaving his head, but Ben....

[bob__71]

Personally I would have rathered pick up Carol....He at least seemed to make some sort of effort.

So he gets kudos for shaving his head, but Ben....

Dont think anyone expected him to have a hair drug test did they. And I dont think he attended an underworld funeral either. Plenty of people in the world dont get jobs they want.

What is sickening is the people who try and sell their "dissappointment at not getting a good footballer" as fake care about his welfair. There are millions of people in the world who are more deserving of empathy than a poor little rich boy who snorted his future up his nose.

In the end Ben should be happy. He can now hang with all his Gangsta mates without anyone giving a damn.

[markp]

Personally I would have rathered pick up Carol....He at least seemed to make some sort of effort.

So he gets kudos for shaving his head, but Ben....

Dont think anyone expected him to have a hair drug test did they. And I dont think he attended an underworld funeral either. Plenty of people in the world dont get jobs they want.

What is sickening is the people who try and sell their "dissappointment at not getting a good footballer" as fake care about his welfair. There are millions of people in the world who are more deserving of empathy than a poor little rich boy who snorted his future up his nose.

In the end Ben should be happy. He can now hang with all his Gangsta mates without anyone giving a damn.

I mainly cared about what he could contribute on the field, and about keeping him enough out of harms way to keep that going.

I don't know really know enough about his private life to judge.... many don't let that stop them though.

[sainteronline]

In the end Ben should be happy. He can now hang with all his Gangsta mates without anyone giving a damn.

except he apparently wanted to play football.go figure

[sainteronline]

good article........i believe that ben was crucified....certainly the afl's stance frightened our faint hearted....or should that be chicken hearted administration.........

Just to balance the arguement up;

Did Benny Boy do everything he possibly could have to ensure he had the best possible chance of being re-drafted? There are many who would say
A big fat NO[/b] !!

i know if i was bent over and coping a nice rodgering like he is i wouldnt be trying to spread em wider for them either

ps no offence rodger

[markp]

good article........i believe that ben was crucified....certainly the afl's stance frightened our faint hearted....or should that be chicken hearted administration.........

Just to balance the arguement up;

Did Benny Boy do everything he possibly could have to ensure he had the best possible chance of being re-drafted? There are many who would say
A big fat NO[/b] !!

i know if i was bent over and coping a nice rodgering like he is i wouldnt be trying to spread em wider for them either

Exactly.... Ben didn't smile and say thank you to the nice policeman for his ticket, so he got a canary as well.

He made the AFL look stupid for not originally detecting him, and then not stipulating he was to present with >3cm long hair.

[bob__71]

OK so does anyone here honestly believe that Ben thinks he has any problems? Because I dont think Ben thinks he has any problems. I think he is making his manager look stupid, and I think he is making his family look stupid. And at the end of the day he is showing where his allegances lye. If he wants to play footy there are plenty of second tier clubs that would take the risk.

Personally I dont have a problem with our club saying they dont want to have drugs at the club, and they dont want the players associating with criminals.

It doesnt mean individuals cant take that path if they want to, but that those individuals wont be at our club.

[WayneJudson42]

This is all well and good... and very compelling reading.

I have one simple question:

Would anyone have given a shyt if BC was a GOP?

[markp]

This is all well and good... and very compelling reading.

I have one simple question:

Would anyone have given a shyt if BC was a GOP?

The irony is he would have avoided the circus and more likely been drafted if he was....

[ausfatcat]

The irony is he would have avoided the circus and more likely been drafted if he was....

Doubt it, no-one would have even considered drafting him if he was a GOP, sure there wouldn't be a media circus necause no one would give two hoots.