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Saw Ben Cousins Tonight

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Ben Cousins come back, pleads Sumich

AAP | September 26, 2008 08:02pm
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  • WEST Coast assistant coach Peter Sumich has made the extraordinary claim that both he and coach John Worsfold would ask the club's board to allow disgraced AFL champion Ben Cousins back at the Eagles should the players push for the former skipper's return.
While the main focus tomorrow will be on the grand final showdown between Hawthorn and Geelong, Cousins will steal the pre-game spotlight by announcing on the Seven Network which AFL club he intends to join next season.

Sumich admitted there was probably "no chance" West Coast's board would allow Cousins to return but said he would love to see the 238-game veteran finish his career at the Eagles.

"It has been discussed at our club . . . and myself and John would have Ben back at the club," Sumich told 6PR's Footy on the Road panel audience.

"I think the players have done a big turnaround on that side of things ... but it would come down to a board decision, and there is no chance.

"Personally I would love to see him back. I think ... if he wants to continue his career (it) should finish at West Coast.

"If they (the players) make a strong pull, myself and John would put something together and we would take it to the board ... but it would be a big thing to change them around at the moment."

Cousins spoke publicly about his battle with addiction when interviewed by Garry Lyon at a Grand Final lunch this week.

"I have an addictive personality," Cousins said.

"It's the very thing that has made me single minded. It's made me train better than the next bloke, or harder than the next bloke, I have learned how to prepare myself.

"With that came the extremity of the way I balanced that out and that's what got me into the predicament that I'm in now.

"It's taken away my livelihood and ... given me a hell of a lot of pressure, pain and strain on my family and the people who are close to me."

Cousins' return to AFL ranks is far from a done deal, with the 2005 Brownlow Medallist still facing a number of hurdles before being able to resume his glittering career.

First and foremost, Cousins must convince the AFL and its medical officers he is completely over

his drug addiction and is mentally and physically ready to play again.

This is by no means an easy task following his sensational fall from grace last season, which saw him dumped from West Coast and deregistered by the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute.

Should the AFL now deem Cousins ready for a return to elite ranks, the 30-year-old would be able to nominate for the pre-season draft.

Cousins, who has been strongly linked with a move to Collingwood, would then have to hope his club of choice regards him as being worth the risk and picks him up.
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Looks the the Weagles want him Back

Story Here
 
Not going to happen.
 
Lupton Warchild Pittman said:
Only time I saw Cous was in Las Vegas & he was (along with his team mates) doing funny things with the Map of Australia and stuff that looked like powder...
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Well that must mean you are either Maxwell, Lockyear or Fraser. :rolleyes:

I have heard our leadership group might be against it, well if they are they can pack their bags IMO, they have not been able to deliver a flag and most of them are insipid or inconsistent.

The club exists to win flags, not to be nice guys and last time I checked Cuz has something no one else on our list does, a flag. Oh wait I forgot his brownlow.
 

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morgoth said:
The club exists to win flags, not to be nice guys and last time I checked Cuz has something no one else on our list does, a flag. Oh wait I forgot his brownlow.
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Well said. I am sick of being ridiculed by other supporters.
We have the biggest support base, best facilities. bla bla bla, yet we have limited success. :o
I want a flag and do not care what it takes to win one.
The players with the best playing ability win you a flag, not the ones with the best moral fiber.
 
Dave The Man said:
Looks the the Weagles want him Back

Story Here
Click to expand...
Looks like they have left their run just a tad late.
Pretty silly saying Cousins must prove he is "completely over" his drug addiction. That is virtually impossible, in fact as soon as you think you are completely over it that is when you are most likely to do it again.
 
Heard it from a very reliable source that Cousins will nominate Collingwood, with St.Kilda Plan B should the club decide against it.

Also heard from the same source one S.Pendlebury will be the captain of Collingwood next year.
 
As much as I would hate to see Ben run in a black and white jumper (better than purple) I will barrack for you guys every time you play except against us. I for one would love him to succed. Every time I met him he was a champion bloke and I guess that was part of his downfall (damn people still advocate Shapelle). Good luck with the decision tomorrow because I have no doubt he will overtake Swan as your number 1 midfielder in his first game and maybe Thomas as cult hero.
 
Hold your horses.... we may have to wait.


According to this article

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24408754-19742,00.html


His manager Ricky Nixon yesterday confirmed Cousins had sought permission from the AFL to play again, but at which club was yet to be determined.
"He needs to demonstrate to the AFL that he is in a fit state of mind, that he is healthy enough to be eligible to be drafted," Nixon said.
"So I don't think he will be announcing anything tomorrow on Channel 7.
"It would be prejudicial to the draft."











Such is life
 
He can state a preference because that is not an absolute, however Nixon may have pulled his head in on that even

How did Grand Final day become draft day?
 

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Teak_Pies said:
Agree he is nothing but trouble. Lets go with the YOUTH!!!!!!
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you my friend are crazy,

He would develop our youth,
teach them a thing or two about how hard you have
to work to be an elite midfielder.
Would do Pendlebury wonders,
having him in the team.
No-one has worked harder than Buckley,
apart from Ben Cousins and Robert Harvey,
and the fact that we have the opportunity
to have Ben Cousin's around the club as a mentor
(as well as most of the players playing alongside Buckley),
would do wonders for the development of our players.
I believe the fact that he wants to play again so badly,
means that he is still up to it.
And if he is a three quarters of what he used to be
he would still be the second best player in our midfield (behind Pendlebury).
He is an absolute gun of a player,
recruit him Collingwood,
before we let another gun go =]
 
Even when Bucks came back late last year the amount of presence he had on the field really did lift the team, Pies need a player of that caliber again.

Obviously Cousins may have seen his best days, but he'll still be great for the club.
 

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