Ben Cousins to resume his career

[hearts on fire]

FORMER West Coast skipper and 2005 Brownlow Medallist Ben Cousins will play his first AFL premiership match since being a part of the club's third flag last September when he fronts Sydney at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night.

Cousins is back after his club-imposed suspension for a substance abuse problem and then a hamstring strain, and returns to the West Coast side with some other big names - Daniel Kerr, Tyson Stenglein and Ashley Hansen.

Making way is Mitch Morton, who is out with an ankle injury, while Steven Armstrong, Chad Jones, Eric Mackenzie and Ben McKinley have been dropped.

I am not a West Coast Eagles supporter but I enjoy watching Ben Cousins and the way he plays his football. I think many people will be watching with much intrest on saturday night when he makes his return.
Many people were unsure if Cousins would ever return after his suspension, but to his credit he has comeback and proved many people wrong, but now he has to perform on the field because his club is in a bit of trouble.

[Hondo]

I was amazed to see the condition he kept himself in while he was suspended. If he is genuinely cleaned up and ready to go, and if keeping his condition up is evidence of his commitment, then the game is better off with him being on the field as a player.

He'll need a thick skin tho!

[hearts on fire]

yeah, he looks in good touch, he hasnt played any WAFL matches so he must be ready, but then again, West Coast have lost a few matches lately so they will throw anyone possible in to the line up.

[Booney]

Begs the question,what can another player say to him,with out being seen a vilification?

[Tight_Lines]

Every camera will be on him from the first bounce and without a doubt Sydney will be straight into him its going to be great to watch. Imagine the crowd noise when he gets that first stat away would be a great atmosphere there.

Still my favourite player and it frustrates to watch that everyone gets on him at least he had the guts to publicly admit to his problems and didnt hide. im sure there are hundreds of AFL players in his position just hiding the fact they too have problems. Im just so pumped for this return! CARN YOU EAGLES

[Strawb]

heard recently that the eagles haven't marked out the lines this week in case ben snorted the lot of them.

[scoob]

Every camera will be on him from the first bounce and without a doubt Sydney will be straight into him its going to be great to watch. Imagine the crowd noise when he gets that first stat away would be a great atmosphere there.

Still my favourite player and it frustrates to watch that everyone gets on him at least he had the guts to publicly admit to his problems and didnt hide. im sure there are hundreds of AFL players in his position just hiding the fact they too have problems. Im just so pumped for this return! CARN YOU EAGLES

I tend to agree, at least he was man enough to stand up and say I admit he was abusing substances. Unlike others in the AFL who have been caught but get hidden by the AFL.

Good luck to him, 1 of the great sights in the AFL is Ben Cousins busting his gut for four quarters.

[Thiele]

Good luck to cousins this weekend. It will be nice to watch him play again

[mighty_tiger_79]

the best player in the comp is back in action..........

ill be tuning into watch his comeback........

it will be interesting to see how the swannies handle him..........

[Psyber]

the best player in the comp is back in action..........

ill be tuning into watch his comeback........

it will be interesting to see how the swannies handle him..........

Watch for his 1/2 time "fix" - I don't believe he is off the stuff - it was all to quick.

[hearts on fire]

Ben Cousins, great return, 10 disposals in his first quarter

[hearts on fire]

20 disposals for the 1st half, 10 each quarter

[hearts on fire]

Ben Cousins now has 26 disposals at 3/4 time, not a bad comeback....

[hearts on fire]

Full Time, Ben Cousins has 38 disposals and West Coast defeat Sydney 112 to 100, great return for Ben, Well Done

[mighty_tiger_79]

38 disposals, first game back, his career high tally is 39.

what an effort

great player

great game

[Thiele]

Excelent return by the champ

[bazza1]

one of the greats of the game, but if he was handing out some of the stuff he was taking himself , would we be oh so forgiving?... i think not! what was he on while he left his mrs in the car while he done a runner... Hmmm. Like it not he is a role model for our kids, my boy knows about ben and asks why he isnt playing, how do explain to a 7 year old that there is player playing AFL doing something wrong and still gettig away with it?. i want to see him playing , but, he has got away with it looking sqeeky clean.

[BPBRB]

one of the greats of the game, but if he was handing out some of the stuff he was taking himself , would we be oh so forgiving?... i think not! what was he on while he left his mrs in the car while he done a runner... Hmmm. Like it not he is a role model for our kids, my boy knows about ben and asks why he isnt playing, how do explain to a 7 year old that there is player playing AFL doing something wrong and still gettig away with it?. i want to see him playing , but, he has got away with it looking sqeeky clean.

Yep it's all bullshit. The carry on tonight from the C10 commentary team was nothing short of disgraceful. Anyone would think Cousins was a returning war hero not a bloody druggie!!!

It's a pity the media and the commentators didn't make the same fuss and carry on when Adam Ramaunskas made his comeback (not once but twice) from Cancer.

There's something pathetically wrong with our society when a Stadium full of f*uckwits and a commentary team of arse lickers can stand and applaud a drug taking loser who hasn't even had the guts to admit he is a drug addict rather he delivered some pathetic pre-written garbage about substance abuse.

[saintal]

one of the greats of the game, but if he was handing out some of the stuff he was taking himself , would we be oh so forgiving?... i think not! what was he on while he left his mrs in the car while he done a runner... Hmmm. Like it not he is a role model for our kids, my boy knows about ben and asks why he isnt playing, how do explain to a 7 year old that there is player playing AFL doing something wrong and still gettig away with it?. i want to see him playing , but, he has got away with it looking sqeeky clean.

Yep it's all bullshit. The carry on tonight from the C10 commentary team was nothing short of disgraceful. Anyone would think Cousins was a returning war hero not a bloody druggie!!!

It's a pity the media and the commentators didn't make the same fuss and carry on when Adam Ramaunskas made his comeback (not once but twice) from Cancer.

There's something pathetically wrong with our society when a Stadium full of f*uckwits and a commentary team of arse lickers can stand and applaud a drug taking loser who hasn't even had the guts to admit he is a drug addict rather he delivered some pathetic pre-written garbage about substance abuse.

I didnt see/hear any of the game, but i can imagine the commentators and fans reactions

[Jimmy]

one of the greats of the game, but if he was handing out some of the stuff he was taking himself , would we be oh so forgiving?... i think not! what was he on while he left his mrs in the car while he done a runner... Hmmm. Like it not he is a role model for our kids, my boy knows about ben and asks why he isnt playing, how do explain to a 7 year old that there is player playing AFL doing something wrong and still gettig away with it?. i want to see him playing , but, he has got away with it looking sqeeky clean.

Yep it's all bullshit. The carry on tonight from the C10 commentary team was nothing short of disgraceful. Anyone would think Cousins was a returning war hero not a bloody druggie!!!

It's a pity the media and the commentators didn't make the same fuss and carry on when Adam Ramaunskas made his comeback (not once but twice) from Cancer.

There's something pathetically wrong with our society when a Stadium full of f*uckwits and a commentary team of arse lickers can stand and applaud a drug taking loser who hasn't even had the guts to admit he is a drug addict rather he delivered some pathetic pre-written garbage about substance abuse.

well said dr ebin!!!!