News Ben Cousins - turning his life around

[kane249]

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/w...-his-release-from-acacia-prison-ng-b88710941z

I hope the club has done it's due diligence on this one...

 

[royalsfan]

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/w...-his-release-from-acacia-prison-ng-b88710941z

I hope the club has done it's due diligence on this one...

Fantastic news, well done to the club

 

[Goldfish]

Great. No issues with this whatsoever, glad the club is doing what it can and hopefully Ben can pass on some of his football knowledge. Not many left on the list from his time now anyway.

 

[WCE_phil]

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/w...-his-release-from-acacia-prison-ng-b88710941z

I hope the club has done it's due diligence on this one...

The best thing for Ben is to have something to do that's positive. Sitting around and falling into old negative circles again will just see him back in jail or worse.

He is a very charming, compulsive lying addict. This might not be the solution to the problem but I don't care how the media spins it if something goes wrong. At least the club is trying to do the right thing by Ben, his family and his future.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Good, gives him something to do

 

[Chris_6678]

Mmm the club must be confident in having a role that can aid Ben in his recovery.

I wonder if it will be a role similar to how Kerr went out bush to mentor young indigenous kids with sport. It really helped Kerr turn his life around.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/w...-his-release-from-acacia-prison-ng-b88710941z

I hope the club has done it's due diligence on this one...

You don't think being under surveillance by police 24/7 is due enough diligence?

 

[ThePuma #9]

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/w...-his-release-from-acacia-prison-ng-b88710941z

I hope the club has done it's due diligence on this one...

We're not foolish. We wouldn't be offering Ben a role unless we feel he's genuine about rehabilitation. This wouldn't have been done on a whim, this would have been in the pipelines for some time and we would have only offered it once we were certain it was the right call.
Frankly i think it's commendable of the club to reach out the olive branch and if Ben commits to the role whole heartily he will have so much to offer the club. His football intellect is impressive in my opinion and who better to speak of the pitfalls of professional football, being a celebrity and drug use than Ben.

Well done West Coast, good luck Ben, great to have you back and do us all, particularly yourself and your kids proud mate.

I for one am rooting for you champ.

 

[Art OF war]

If you're in a position to help people, then do it.

I hope we can do something for Chicky as well.

 

[WCE_phil]

If you're in a position to help people, then do it.

I hope we can do something for Chicky as well.

You can only help those who want to be helped. I'm not sure outside of being paid off that Chicky wants help from the club.

 

[wadistance]

Mmm the club must be confident in having a role that can aid Ben in his recovery.

I wonder if it will be a role similar to how Kerr went out bush to mentor young indigenous kids with sport. It really helped Kerr turn his life around.

He was already doing that before he went in

So glad the club are sticking by him


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[ReaperX]

Really proud of you blokes for doing this, you didn't have to, but your club is doing the right thing by one of their all-time greats.

As a Richmond fan, I got to see Cuzzy up close in his twilight years, and I believe he had a tremendous impact on our then young group, and in some small way, I think some of what he brought to the club's then up and comers such as Cotchin, a young Dusty, Jack, etc etc, probably in some way helped shape them as players with strong work ethic.

Say what you will about Ben, but on the field and on the training track, he gave it his all, and he deserves some support from the greater AFL community in getting his life back on track, given all the good he brought to the game of Aussie Rules.

This job opportunity is a small step in the right direction.

Great job Eagles!

 

[flamingEMBERS]

Like the move. I'm sure we've done our homework and have been in contact with him whilst he's been inside.

Wouldn't be surprised if Brian and Ben thought of this and approached the club as a way to help him

 

[Altum Volantes]

Hope it can be a catalyst to getting his life on track and staying out of prison and more importantly, the morgue.

 

[wing it]

I'll be the voice of dissent.

The club should've waited until a good 6 months or so after release to ensure that Cousins was possibly/maybe/hopefully rehab'd. The guy was cooked several years ago and showed no signs of breaking straight while in the lock-up. Not sure why the club feels compelled to make this move. Highly dangerous IMO.

 

[A Bit Dusty]

I'll be the voice of dissent.

The club should've waited until a good 6 months or so after release to ensure that Cousins was possibly/maybe/hopefully rehab'd. The guy was cooked several years ago and showed no signs of breaking straight while in the lock-up. Not sure why the club feels compelled to make this move. Highly dangerous IMO.

Drugs are a powerful enemy to everyone and I love the fact that West coast have given him a chance to take back control of his life. I wish him all the best.

 

[wing it]

Drugs are a powerful enemy to everyone and I love the fact that West coast have given him a chance to take back control of his life. I wish him all the best.

Like they did in 2007?

Don't get me wrong, I hope I'm wrong. But the dude has had numerous opportunities over the past decade. History repeating as far as I'm concerned. Happy to be proven wrong.

 

[Godfather32]

I'll be the voice of dissent.

The club should've waited until a good 6 months or so after release to ensure that Cousins was possibly/maybe/hopefully rehab'd. The guy was cooked several years ago and showed no signs of breaking straight while in the lock-up. Not sure why the club feels compelled to make this move. Highly dangerous IMO.

I think the club is thinking of Cousins and his welfare rather than themselves and their image for once. Cousins is far less likely to fall back into his old ways if he has a job to go into straight out of prison, it keeps him occupied, gives him a bit of purpose to his life and also gives him the support of people around the club to fall back on. This could potentially save his life. Not sure what makes it dangerous other than the fact that it gives the media and other teams fans a bit more ammo to fire our way, but at the end of the day who gives a s**t what they think?

 

[wing it]

All for giving someone a 2nd chance. Even a 3rd.

But not a 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th....

I don't understand why the club would go down this path, after trying for so long to put the dark past behind it.

Again, Happy to be wrong!

 

[Lach72]

I like it. Everyone needs help at some stage.

Hopefully he can grab the opportunity


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[Bushy70]

Great move. Well done West Coast.

 

[the harry]

Happy with this tbh. We have the cash. Leaving it any length of time gives him more chance to screw up again with idle hands.

 

[Seadog]

All for giving someone a 2nd chance. Even a 3rd.

But not a 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th....

I don't understand why the club would go down this path, after trying for so long to put the dark past behind it.

Again, Happy to be wrong!

Maybe because he is a champion of the club and he needs help. The club has nothing to lose and hopefully Ben gains. If it goes **** up so be it but I'm glad we are trying.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Solid move by the club, hope it gives Ben the means to turn his life around

 

[tigger_ferret]

Think this is good news. Shows the club is still working to make amends for its past wrongdoing.

I reckon there is a 50/50 chance Cuzz relapses at some point. If he gets healthy, it is a massive win for him and his family. If not hopefully it is not rock bottom and jail or worse. I don’t think it will have a major negative impact on the club if he continues to struggle with his addiction.

Only way it goes bad for WCE is if he drags any of the current players down with him, but I hope we have a much better understanding and support systems in place and it would never get to that.