We need Cousins!

[heartbeatstrue]

I couldn't help thinking today that Cousins would be great for assisting with the development of our young stars. Like someone else stated he would draw the oppositions best tagger and when fit knows how to read, find and carry the football. I understand I will have people disagree with me as they feel strongly about his off-field demeanours. We can't disregard that his work-ethic and running power is phenomenal and he was a premiership player. We need these players in the team. I understand Baily's youth policy but now is the time we also need an experienced head especially one that has had a Brownlow Medal placed over it!

Thats my opinion...what do you think?

 

[Deenamite]

I think we definitely don't need him.

 

[CM Sean]

Personally, I think Ben Cousins deserves a 2nd chance.
Give the guy a break, he is a legend of the game. I understand
all the risks that come with taking him but what about the benefits?
He's one hell of a player. With all the tests he has to go through,
surely you gotta grant him a 2nd chance. I know it goes against youth policy
but, it's one pick...not the end of the world. we still got watts, jetta etc.

Final Thought: Hope we get him, know we won't lol.

 

[DemonErrol1964 - dees]

As well as the media circus, his negative influence on our youngsters, and the serious coin that we wants, I vote NO !

 

[Dez!]

Wouldn't be against taking him, in my opinion there is no risks with taking Ben Cousins. We tell him he stuffs up once and he's gone, in the end it's only a PSD pick that's gone.

As for bad influence on the young players, they are young but they aren't 12. Pretty sure they could handle themselves.

How he trains could be great for the young players, maybe show them a thing or two about training hard.

 

[MicksterD]

I definitely believe that Ben Cousins deserves a second chance. Our entire criminal legal system is based around the fundamental premise of rehabilitation. The West Coast Eagles and the AFL both claimed that Ben's health was the number 1 priority and turfing him out of the comp permanently is inconsistent with that position because it will almost certainly be detrimental to his well being - he has served his time so he should be given a second chance.

I also believe that with proper monitoring and a well drafted contract the risks that Cousins poses to the players are not significant at all but the benefits that he could bring via his experience and legendary level of training would be invaluable to a young club like Melbourne.

There are however two issues with Melbourne giving Ben a second chance -the first is public perception and how that will impact on the sponsors and young Demons supporters and the second is Melbourne's already dismal public image i.e. a club whose brand means nothing, soft and heartless. The Dees cannot afford to risk further damaging its lifeless brand and MUST focus on bringing new life to the club through young future champions like Jack Watts, becoming tougher and smarter on and off the field and finally through winning games.

Ben deserves a second chance but unfortunately Melbourne cannot afford to be the one to give him that chance.

 

[Bails2008]

Disagree Dez about no risk. The fallout if he lapsed would be massive and I am not sure we want the media circus that will accompany him. That will have no benefit for such a young list having every media outlet stalking his every move. The counter arguement would be bad publicity is better than none at all but we have a lot of work to re-establish our brand and reputation around the league. I feel this would do more harm than good at the moment. A key factor as well would be us having no major sponsor and selecting Cousins would make that even more difficult.

Absolutely agree on the training aspect though. That would be the clear benefit of drafting him. However with us highley unlikely to play finals I am not sure picking a 30 year old fits in with our future direction.

 

[davey_magik]

Don't want him.

Risk involved is too great and we can't afford him to tarnish our 'image'.

 

[The Demon]

Pointless hypothetical because it isn't going to happen!

 

[RandB]

Pass

 

[Dez!]

Disagree Dez about no risk. The fallout if he lapsed would be massive and I am not sure we want the media circus that will accompany him. That will have no benefit for such a young list having every media outlet stalking his every move. The counter arguement would be bad publicity is better than none at all but we have a lot of work to re-establish our brand and reputation around the league. I feel this would do more harm than good at the moment. A key factor as well would be us having no major sponsor and selecting Cousins would make that even more difficult.

Absolutely agree on the training aspect though. That would be the clear benefit of drafting him. However with us highley unlikely to play finals I am not sure picking a 30 year old fits in with our future direction.

I know it's going out on a limb here but with all the conditions and amount of times that the AFL has said he will be tested I find it difficult to see him falling back into old patterns. Twice as many eyes will be on him from the public and especially the AFL from last year.

However if we do have major sponsor lined up that has said they won't become involved with the club as our major sponsor if we draft Cousins then yes I agree we'd have to pass on him.

 

[ExTasDeeMan]

My god he's a champion of the game and should be remembered for that (rather then rubbing rock salt into his nose).

However for a rebuilding team, its just not the marketing answer.

Just imagine when the news reports come in after his Post-Draft mad monday antics...

 

[stickman11]

Would be more positives than negatives. Would get more people into the ground. We have loads of younger players now - MFC would have rocks in their head if they didn't take a punt.

 

[Pipefitter]

Should we start a bring benny c petition to the dees and send it to the club? The whole he is too risky (psd pick? please, its a garbage tip of players and to get a superstar for that is so worth the risk). I love the one where people say we dont need him? Yeah i guess it would be terrible to have an elite midfielder on our list. Sure he is not a long term fix, but really we CANNOT have another season like this one. We wouldnt with ben on the list i can tell you that. And by the time he is finishing his career imagine the state our young midfield would be by then?

 

[bloodpumpsRnB]

Emphatic no. 14 other clubs have said no, and he has already been to rehab once. He came back and there was no change. He showed up to a hair test without a hair on his body. Emphatic NO.

 

[unstable punt]

I couldn't help thinking today that Cousins would be great for assisting with the development of our young stars. Like someone else stated he would draw the oppositions best tagger and when fit knows how to read, find and carry the football. I understand I will have people disagree with me as they feel strongly about his off-field demeanours. We can't disregard that his work-ethic and running power is phenomenal and he was a premiership player. We need these players in the team. I understand Baily's youth policy but now is the time we also need an experienced head especially one that has had a Brownlow Medal placed over it!

Thats my opinion...what do you think?

l agree totally, would be a great pick up, someone to teach the young blokes what commitment to training is all about

 

[wiesel_99]

other than the bad publicity the only other real worry is the possibility of not picking up somebody in the PSD, especially a project ruckman. I wouldn't be that against either decision, but the club has made it clear as crystal that they are not taking him due to 'youth focus'.

 

[Swampfox]

Cant believe we are still talking about this guy becoming a demon

It has been well documented by the MFC that we have NO INTEREST IN DRAFTING BEN COUSINS

 

[Fairtex09]

we dont need him at all.

 

[J-Ro-20]

I think Cuz would be great for Melbourne. Who cares about the "image".

winning games is what its all about.

Cuz would look great in a demon guernsey, mind you I also said that about Judd and that didn't happen.

 

[paul8241]

As much as I dislike Cuz, he'd increase your numbers through the gate and give Watts something to lead to. Your club could offer him less coin and write in an associates clause into his contract, so that if he hangs with the wrong crowd you can show him the door. He's probably spent a lot of his earnings from footy on the gear, so I'm sure he'd work his butt off to prove himself so he can get a bigger contract after. At the end of the day though, your club has said no already so it's probably a pointless conversation.

 

[AFL is Number One]

A pointless topic.

 

[CM Sean]

I think Cuz would be great for Melbourne. Who cares about the "image".

winning games is what its all about.

Cuz would look great in a demon guernsey, mind you I also said that about Judd and that didn't happen.

Judd dogged us bad. And he had the hyde to say he followed Melbourne as
a kid...PFFT

Where's the passion Chris. We all know your heart doesn't beat true...

 

[bringbackschwarter5]

I think we should give the guy a chance, he's desperate to play and money is no matter for him, case in point, he was willing to go on the Eagles rookie list. Still has the passion and, just turned 30 and his introduction will only improve the game of our younger players

 

[Ferris_rules]

I would have thought that Cousins would bring a lot of media exposure for the Demons. That being the case given your club is going through a period of rebuilding for at least the next three years before a tilt at a flag he would bring a lot of publicity and keeping Melbourne in the AFL spotlight.

I am well aware of what he has "done" and the negative exposure around him. However, if the Crows didnt have at least 4 players over 30 I would have wanted him at our club.

I would be interested to hear from demons fans living overseas or outside Vic their thoughts of the demons being in the spotlight if Cousins was selected. I remember with Carey he kept the Crows always in the spotlight of the media and living outside Adelaide he always kept the Crows in the media spotlight. just a thought