We need Cousins!

[whelan=legend]

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.

Next year will be Melbourne last year of rebuilding.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

FWIW, Melbourne are about to begin a journey up the ladder. It's a long process, and it must be done with the emphasis on youth. Do not, under any circumstances, start recycling other clubs' problems ... it's a recipe for disaster, and a guarantee for continued failure.

If you think you need Cousins, you're in worse shape than I think.

 

[Colin Grigson]

I feel a bit sorry for Ben, I think he has been unfairly scapegoated big time by the AFL, a 'self-righteous' media and by the public in general...

Considering its a well known fact (i assume) that illicit drug use has been widespread amongst AFL footballers for a long time (and amongst another certain recent premiership winning team...), it seems pretty unfair that Ben has been subject to the full brunt of the AFL's crackdown (no pun intended..) on illicit drug use.

If the AFL didn't have National coverage and attract the sort of sponsorship revenue it does, the AFL commission wouldn't give a damn about what Cousins was taking or doing.

The cynicle thing about this whole thing is, is that the AFL doesn't give a hoot about Cousins' personal welfare, all it is interested in is its bottomline/profitability, and not upsetting the Federal government..

You only have to consider the fact that one of the AFL's leading sponsors is a maker and distributor of alcohol products - Carlton & United Brewries & the fact that more people die from alcohol abuse than all the illicit drugs combined annually...

The AFL walk this fineline between condemning anyone who takes so-called 'illicit' drugs (when they actually choose to), and condemning drug use, yet it wholeheartedly supports an industry that greatly contributes to drug addiction (as we sometimes conveniently forget, alcohol is a drug too)...

I've gone off on a bit of a tangent here, but its something that really irritates me. The measures taken by the AFL have nothing to do with the welfare of the player involved (Cousins), or any genuine attempt to create a healthy environment for the players, but instead, they have been primarily taken to protect the lucrative salaries of influential parties within the AFL & to ensure its various sponsors remain profitable (and to not offend them)...

So, there you go kids...

 

[cotcha now]

melboure dont need players who are going to bring a reputation and bad attention the club
we need players who put their head down and get into the footy, players like mclean and mcdonald because in the end they are the teams who deliver premierships and one extra player doesnt make that much of a difference as every1 thinks

 

[wiesel_99]

melboure dont need players who are going to bring a reputation and bad attention the club
we need players who put their head down and get into the footy, players like mclean and mcdonald because in the end they are the teams who deliver premierships and one extra player doesnt make that much of a difference as every1 thinks

funny how richmond are looking like drafting him now.

 

[Oscarman]

I've still got a sneaky suspicion we might take Ben on Tuesday. Don't know why, the thought just won't go away.

 

[w00dy]

when a champion of the game on offer for virtually nothing it is a tantalsing prospect... it's not often the player of cousins calibre becomes available for virtually nothing... so it would be great for the fans to have him running around in the red and blue...

but the smart call is not to take him... he'd be taking game time off one of our better young mids, and that's one less young player we have the chance to develop... add on top of that we're more likely to get better draft picks in the immediate future by not drafting cousins...

smart call for a club in our position...

 

[pcazzy]

the head tells me "no, dont even go there with a 10 foot barge pole", but the heart would like to see him in the red and blue. he deserves a 2nd chance somewhere. would also take the pressure of jones, brock & co., as cuz would be manned up first each weak.

he would be as cheap as chips, & a brownlow medallist & premiership player (we havent had one of those for a while now!) would be of great assistance to the kiddies, in regards to teaching them how to train. he would draw ppl through the gates (something we also need), and other clubs supporters would hate him, meaning they would be more likely to come to our games to have a crack.

if richmond do take him, good on em. the round one opener richmond vs carlton (cousins vs judd) would be an absolute cracker! i hope somebody gives the boy another go at it. maybe it'll be us, probably it wont. either way i'm not majorly fussed.

 

[NoRumoursAllFact]

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.

How do you further damage (and i quote) a lifeless brand. It will bring life to it one way or another. Merchandise for Bens number will go through the roof, media exposure for our club and sponsors with all the coverage he'll get.

Our brand is soft is it? soft would be to not take the punt. Our brand is heartless? Heartless is not taking the punt.

You hear how at carlton when judd arrived blew the youngsters away with his training and singlehandedly lifted the work-rate at the club. Who did judd learn from???

We wont take him, the tigers will and it's the gutsiest thing they've ever done but at the same time good luck to them. take the risk and reap the rewards. Or Risk nothing... and get nothing.

 

[richskee]

guys I'm hearing whispers. 774 2 min ago.

 

[DetoNaitanui]

guys I'm hearing whispers. 774 2 min ago.

Same here! Just heard that MFC are reconsidering, seeing they have the first pick. God i hope this is true!

We need COUSINS!

 

[Griff19]

Same here! Just heard that MFC are reconsidering, seeing they have the first pick. God i hope this is true!

We need COUSINS!

No Chance...

Will be useless to us anyway, best suited at a club that is not too far off a tilt at the flag, we are no where near it!

 

[Fairtex09]

well what did it exactly say???

 

[cackstar]

As a footballer the bloke is an absolute gun, in my opinion he is one of the best footballers to watch. He is proven and ready to go. There are more positives than negatives with him and if he mucks up then he's gone but he deserves another chance and I would love for the dees to pick him up. The publicity he would bring to the club would be enormous. I urge the club to pick him up tommorrow.

 

[Swampfox]

funny how richmond are looking like drafting him now.

They havent made a good decision since they swapped Billy Barrot for Ian Stewart

They still cant make up their minds

We have and we wont be drafting Ben Cousins