St Kilda thought about chasing Cousins during trade week?

[Riewoldting]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 88,00.html

West Coast Eagles sack Ben Cousins
Mark Robinson and Daryl Timms

October 18, 2007 12:00am

WEST Coast said last night that sacking Ben Cousins was one of the most painful decisions in the club's history, but it had to be made because he was "terribly sick".

Eagles chief executive Trevor Nisbett said the unanimous decision, made at an emergency board meeting, to terminate Cousins' contract was the "right decision" to ensure the star midfielder could focus "solely and only on his health".

The meeting included phone hook-ups with AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, who is in France, and Eagles chairman Dalton Gooding, who is holidaying in Italy.

His termination, as revealed exclusively yesterday on the Herald Sun website, follows his arrest on Tuesday on drugs charges and refusing a blood test.

Eagles chairman elect Mark Barnaba said the club acted after Cousins broke the "conditions and spirit" of his revised contract following his return to football in July after a stint in a US drug rehabilitation clinic.

Nisbett described as a "tragedy" the sacking of Cousins, whom he labelled the club's greatest player.

However, he said Tuesday's events were the latest in a string of incidents by Cousins, who agreed in his contract to a zero-tolerance clause to testing positive to drugs and not falling foul of the law.

He said the club continued to be "very, very concerned" for the Brownlow medallist, but felt it best he continue his rehabilitation without the AFL spotlight.

"It's an illness. He is terribly sick. He needs more rehabilitation," he said.

"It's tragic that it's got to this stage."

It's extremely unlikely Cousins will play football again.

The termination of his contract and his delisting by West Coast means Cousins is no longer a registered AFL player.

If he wants to play league football again he would need to lodge an application to be drafted. The AFL would have to approve his application to play again, which it is not expected to do.

Last night Demetriou said the AFL fully supported the Eagles' decision.

"Ben is no longer a part of the AFL competition and needs to concentrate fully on regaining his health and getting his life in order," Demetriou said.

"The AFL has supported the West Coast Eagles in trying to manage a player struggling with difficult issues.

"However, we also have a responsibility to manage the game in a way that protects our broader playing group, and allows our supporters, members and the football family to have pride in our game, and trust in our administration."

It's understood one Melbourne club, thought to be St Kilda, entertained chasing Cousins during last week's trade period.

That push was quashed when Eagles coach John Worsfold told Cousins he was a required player.

"I must admit I lay awake last night thinking, if only I convinced him to come, it might've made a difference . . . I don't know," Cousins' manager Ricky Nixon said.

"I was pretty keen to get Ben to Melbourne and out of the environment," Nixon said.

"I had my reasons for that. Other people believed over there was the right environment for him because he had a medical staff around him, rehab facilities and his family."

Cousins, 29, will appear in a Perth court today.

Nixon, who spoke to Cousins at a Perth police station on Tuesday night, confirmed the 2005 Brownlow medallist's glittering and controversial 237-game career was finished.

"I wouldn't have thought Ben Cousins would play football forthwith from this day," Nixon said.

"I don't think it makes much difference – terminated, stood down, suspended.

"If the league wants to deregister him, I think it's all irrelevant."

Nixon and senior West Coast officials had been concerned for Cousins' welfare in recent days.

It was revealed yesterday Cousins and teammate Daniel Chick had been on a weekend bender with strippers before Cousins' arrest on Tuesday on drug charges.

Nixon, who yesterday spoke with Cousins' father Bryan, said the former Eagles captain needed medical help and wondered if the death of his mentor Chris Mainwaring almost two weeks ago had triggered the events of the past four days.

"It's hard to know whether after the season finished, there's been circumstances – and we know what some of those have been – whether they have led to what happened yesterday," Nixon said on 3AW.

An emotional Nixon urged football fans to "drop off" on their criticism of Cousins, and the innuendo about alleged drug-taking.

"There's a lot of hysteria about what he was doing, what was in his body. It's all irrelevant now," Nixon said.

"We've got to get this kid to learn that he has to live on this planet for the next 60 years and he's got to make something out of his life.

"It just makes me sick today, everyone ringing up, saying let's do this to him, let's do that to him . . . just drop off.

"Do you want the parents to feel worse, the relatives and everyone in tears today about it all?

"If you get a joy out of that, well, good luck to you. At the end of the day it's over."

The Eagles, the AFL and various medical officials will face scrutiny about Cousins' initial rehabilitation, which started in March in the US.

Nixon stressed he believed Cousins had to agree to resume his rehabilitation program.

"I think everyone needs to take a step back who's around him and decide what is the best course of action," he said.

"It (rehab) is one that has to be planned and agreed to by all parties involved (and) there has to be buy-in from the person who's in difficulty."

[SaintBot]

i would highly doubt that. we just got michael gardiner away from cousins, we dont need to make our job with turning gardiner any harder.

[Mr Magic]

If the article is being based on the interview Nixon had with Gerard and Dwayne on 3AW last night, then it is painting a slighty distorted picture of what he said.

Nixon said HE APPROACHED smoe Melbourne Clubs about the possibility of trading for Cousins and one Club said that they would look into it. On that basis Cousins spoke to Worsfold who told him he was a required player and no further discussios took place.

IF we were the Club involoved it is clear from Nixon that we didn't approach Cousins (or his management) and that they came to a few Clubs looking for any expressions of interest. All we did (if it was us) was not say categorically no to the idea.

[evertonfc]

All we did (if it was us) was not say categorically no to the idea.

Indeed, if it was us, I hope we maintain this attitude.

He simply has to get out of Perth. Must get away from that scene.

[Armoooo]

If he does play again my pick would be Sydney, Melbourne would be just as bad for him as Perth...
Atleast in Sydney he is almost a nobody... If they would take everitt they would take anyone...

[evertonfc]

If he does play again my pick would be Sydney, Melbourne would be just as bad for him as Perth...
Atleast in Sydney he is almost a nobody... If they would take everitt they would take anyone...

To be honest, that's completely not true. The Cousins story has generated massive, massive interest in Sydney. He'll be a 'somebody' wherever he goes.

I suspect his best bet is to get to Melbourne, where, if he plays and plays quite well, his story will get dated quicker than it would elsewhere.

If he has one drama-less year (think about it, it's not that hard, Gardiner has managed it), he'll be considered an incredible bargain.

[Armoooo]

I've already stated my opinion on him, I want us to offer him a one year deal on a first year players wage to come to the club with one chance, if he blows it he's out.
If he says no that's fine if he says yes we may have scored the greatest ever bargain...

[Enrico_Misso]

As that ridiculous loser tattoo says ....

STUFFED MY LIFE

[Behind Play]

According to Nixon this morning, he claimed that Ben, told him he wanted to come to Melb. That doesn't mean we were looking at him. I would sincerly hope our culture has changed.

We have enough problems with sponsers now with the infighting that has been going on....how do you think sponsors would feel if we picked up Ben.

Let us be totally honest, Ben is not ready to deal with his problems......wasn't ready 8 months ago and not ready now.

[SENsei]

Needs to get ready to deal with his problems though, otherwise I can't see him getting to 40 years of age. We'll be reading about his 'sudden' tragic end like Chris Mainwaring.

Sad, sorry waste of a life.

Come on Ben, get some help.

[Beekay]

He needs to walk away from football and save his life.

He needs to walk away from football and grow up.

He needs to walk away from football and become a decent bloke.

[n1ck]

Its true.

[Brian Collis]

Lets rookie him!

Thoughts?

[SENsei]

My thoughts are that the bikini babe in your avatar needs to have her "I love Brian" tattoo in the same format as Ben Cousins.

[Dan Warna]

hope we dont have this jerk at this club.

[Sobraz]

I'd still take cousins in a second... We all know what level he can play at, what he can bring to a club on field. Lets not delude ourselves and think he is the only person, or WC are the only club with drug issues. Its an issue at the saints, as much as its an issue at every club, as it is in society as a whole.... Dont think he can be drafted for next year tho, can he??

[GrumpyOne]

I would have entertained him coming to St Kilda.......... But he would have to bring his own.

[Beej]

Its true.

Yes, and apparently we did a lot more than just "entertain" the idea, eh?

[n1ck]

Its true.

Yes, and apparently we did a lot more than just "entertain" the idea, eh?

Indeed.

[ausfatcat]

I'd still take cousins in a second... We all know what level he can play at, what he can bring to a club on field. Lets not delude ourselves and think he is the only person, or WC are the only club with drug issues. Its an issue at the saints, as much as its an issue at every club, as it is in society as a whole.... Dont think he can be drafted for next year tho, can he??

No one will be aloud to get him any more. And no we don't need him, just on the bad publicity it would bring with him. It would down turn sponsers and down turn membership not worth it for a player that only has 3 years max left in him if he did get healthy.

[saintspremiers]

Its true.

Yes, and apparently we did a lot more than just "entertain" the idea, eh?

Indeed.

well that's fine by me.

IF we had nabbed him, say, through the PSD, no doubt we'd have written off the first half of 2008 for his rehab........but there would be a chance he could be clean in Melbourne (like his mate Gardy by all reports).

IF we got him in the PSD, we'd have got him for nothing.....it's one spot on a list of 38, with a lot of iffy players still on our list remember.

Also, remember we are talking about BEFORE the latest episode.

Cousins was not junkie has-been trash last week, as he is now, was he???

I'm glad Cousins is finished after this last episode, but also there is talk it could've been a sting to some extent also.........

[Riewoldting]

also there is talk it could've been a sting to some extent also.........

Org Crime Squad following him in unmarked cars? Yeah, it's a sting.

[stinger]

I'd still take cousins in a second... We all know what level he can play at, what he can bring to a club on field. Lets not delude ourselves and think he is the only person, or WC are the only club with drug issues. Its an issue at the saints, as much as its an issue at every club, as it is in society as a whole.... Dont think he can be drafted for next year tho, can he??

No one will be aloud to get him any more. And no we don't need him, just on the bad publicity it would bring with him. It would down turn sponsers and down turn membership not worth it for a player that only has 3 years max left in him if he did get healthy.

not only sponsors.....


from an article by caroline wilson....


"The 29-year-old would have to apply to enter the AFL draft, with the application unlikely to be approved by the AFL, which must deal with the reality of the parents of young footballers unwilling to have their sons play for the Eagles."



...would you like the parents of potential saints players having the same doubts..........

[n1ck]

PSD wasnt an option saintspremiers.

[Quixote]

What more do you know, n1ck?