Ben Cousins - what action should the AFL take?

[The Mint Man]

Well its a simple question should he be kicked out or banned for life or should he just be slaped on the wrist.... AGAIN!

I just dont understand it... good life, good wage and they go and bugger it up, I just dont get it!

How are we ment to tell kids not to take drugs? I mean we had 11 year old kids overdose on E's yesterday at a school for gods sake

I dunno... :dunno:

Heres the latest:

A passenger in a car driven by former West Coast Eagles player Daniel Chick has been charged with possessing cocaine and cannabis.

Chick's car was on Tuesday pulled over in the inner Perth suburb of Northbridge at the same time a separate vehicle driven by fellow player, former Eagles skipper Ben Cousins, was stopped nearby.

Cousins, 29, was on Tuesday night charged with refusing a blood test and possessing an illegal drug.

Police said in a statement that questioning of Chick, 31, and his 33-year-old passenger on Tuesday had led to raids on two homes which uncovered quantities of cocaine, cannabis, methylamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

The statement said the passenger was charged with possessing prohibited drugs, namely cocaine and cannabis, and a possessing a smoking implement.

He was granted bail and will appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Monday.

Chick was released without charge. Police said inquiries were continuing.

Cousins, a former West Coast skipper, will appear in court on Thursday.

If found guilty, it is likely his celebrated playing career will be over.

Just an observation; If the other polls I've seen on news sites are anything to go off then he's Gooooone!

 

[Prospector]

As he hasnt tested positive for any of the AFL drug tests they probably cant do anything about it yet.

What a waste of talent! Others work damn hard to play football at their level, he just kind of, snorts it away really!

 

[>Apocalypto<]

As he hasnt tested positive for any of the AFL drug tests they probably cant do anything about it yet.

What a waste of talent! Others work damn hard to play football at their level, he just kind of, snorts it away really!

LOL

snorts it away, very good!

 

[Lucky_Country]

Devoted his life too AFL in the public spotlight from day 1 pressures untold on a young man too constantly perform.
He needs help not punishment from the AFL !

 

[Gspot]

Considering the large amount of money the government has spent advertising and mailout guides about drugs and talking to your kids.
Then this is best and cheapest advertising we could ask for.
Banishing Ben forever, and then pretending that he's the only one out there using, would be a waste. We should try a take something positive from this horrible event, that will help everyone. Maybe it's time he spoke genuinely to the media.

 

[doctorj]

Why is it up to the AFL to handle it? The Eagles have and will continue to handle the situation very professionally. There's every likelihood he'll be given the boot from the WCE and I'm certain the AFL should be happy with it and that'll be the end of the issue.

The only reason this topic is raised is because the media love a good story and beating it up. He's a player and he'll be dealt with by his club. The Eagles shouldn't lose draft picks or be fined for what a player does out of seasoon when they've already taken appropriate action over the matter.
Why isn't there a similar thread on what the AFL will 'do' to Hawthorn for their 3 players? Is it because Hawthorn isn't as successful? Is it because they're a Victorian club? Or is it just because the media can't talk about it?

The real issues are the AFL's drug policy and a particularly sad, wayward individual.

 

[BIG BWACULL]

He cant Kick, cant tackle, can't hide his drug habit, Send him to the sin bin
Then when he returns, let the clubs decide if they want o coke snortin, cannabis smokin, eratic drivin hobo on their team Heh heh i like Rugby league (at least Johns kept it a dark secret for what Ten years and got caught in his leasure time after he gave the game the Flick and came out like a man and admitted his wrong doings to set his demons lose) Thats my

 

[dutchie]

Two strikes and your out - banned for life if sports body says no drugs in or out of season.

 

[chops_a_must]

Why is it up to the AFL to handle it? The Eagles have and will continue to handle the situation very professionally. There's every likelihood he'll be given the boot from the WCE and I'm certain the AFL should be happy with it and that'll be the end of the issue.

*Snickers*

I'd be very very surprised if the AFL didn't take any action on the club. And they have to do something about that Dalton Gooding. Clearly one of the most incompetent board members in Australia. Doesn't know if he's arthur or marthur.

I don't know how anyone can be sympathetic towards Cousins. How many chances does a guy need? And why should the AFL help him? Look at what they did for Lawrence Angwin...

But talk about the definition of a loser... Giving up a superb AFL career for drugs... What a total waste of a life.

 

[chops_a_must]

Two strikes and your out - banned for life if sports body says no drugs in or out of season.

The AFL doesn't work like that.

Amateur athletes can be tested 12 months of the year, 24 hours a day, without discretion shown for "recreational drugs" or performance enhancing substances. I see why it shouldn't be the case for professional, full time sportspeople.

If it's good enough for the cricketers, it's good enough for the AFL as far as I'm concerned.

 

[The Mint Man]

Two strikes and your out - banned for life if sports body says no drugs in or out of season.

Couldnt agree more.
Surely there has tio be a cut off point when enough is enough?
I'm not against rehabilitation but you can't rehabilitate anyone by saying 'its okay, we will let you off the hook' what lesson is there to be taken away from that? none, zero, nothing, zip.
First part of rehabilitation should be a tough stance. Simple as that. your O.U.T, out!

 

[doctorj]

*Snickers*

I'd be very very surprised if the AFL didn't take any action on the club.

Disappointed, don't you mean? What have the club done wrong? They punished him the first time by suspending him of their own accord for months and months and discharged their duty of care by getting him professional help.

They also put in place a new contract with the player which included a massive pay cut, drug testing and clear repurcussions should it happen again.

It's now happened again and they will act in accordance with the agreement.

I also believe that any termination of Cousins as a player does not discharge the Eagles of further obligations to Ben's well being. I hope they continue to help him seek professional help - like him or hate him he's a human and he's gone seriously off the rails, probably largely due to his involvement in football.

And they have to do something about that Dalton Gooding. Clearly one of the most incompetent board members in Australia. Doesn't know if he's arthur or marthur.

Gooding has lead the Eagles to be one of the biggest and most successful clubs over the last decade by any metric you care to name. He's brought a degree of professionalism to the league that simply didn't exist when he first came in. He's also handled Cousins with the upmost professionalism.

 

[gordon2007]

The fact that he is a public figure and a sport star should have no bearing whatsoever. He's a druggie. Plain and simple. Does the average joe rock up to work stoned and get chances to redeem himself? Yes he should get rehab and everything else. But remember, he made the conscience decision to become a user. He knew well in advance it was against the law before he had his first pill, needle or puff or whatever you want to call it. He willfully broke the law and now he should pay. If that means he is banned from the AFL so be it. Let him then go work at a grocery store as a checkout person.

 

[BIG BWACULL]

Couldnt agree more.
Surely there has tio be a cut off point when enough is enough?
I'm not against rehabilitation but you can't rehabilitate anyone by saying 'its okay, we will let you off the hook' what lesson is there to be taken away from that? none, zero, nothing, zip.
First part of rehabilitation should be a tough stance. Simple as that. your O.U.T, out!

Maybe they should have a salary sacrifice clause That depletes their earnings everytime time the misbehave (like your car licence with the points, Right down till you aint got ****) That should contain them and use the revenue to help those unfortunate to have made the wrong choice in life (Drug and alcohol dependance)

 

[Prospector]

Well, in the past he has run away from a random breath test site, leaving his girlfriend in the car; has again refused a blood test after drink/drug driving at 10am in the morning - lucky he didnt injure someone, had hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on his rehabilitation; played in a Grand Final winning team under suspicion of drug use, won a brownlow medal under suspicion of drug use, and some people think he deserves another chance? And there was also the episode of him being associated with gang land criminals.

Why do you hold West Coast responsible for him DrJ? That goes way past employer responsibility? When does an individual stand up for themselves and make themselves accountable for their own actions?

 

[doctorj]

I don't blame the WCE for Cousins, though, I do think they should make efforts to help him. I think it's the honourable and professional thing for the club to do. They're not short of money and it's unlikely Cousins has a lot of cash saved up if he's an addict.

What is he to do then if he has no savings, no income and is unable to work? Rot in an alley somewhere?

The eagles need to start by ending the speculation over his playing future. I suspect they're in the process of doing this privately. I imagine it's quite a long process - legal advice and the like...

 

[chops_a_must]

Gooding has lead the Eagles to be one of the biggest and most successful clubs over the last decade by any metric you care to name. He's brought a degree of professionalism to the league that simply didn't exist when he first came in. He's also handled Cousins with the upmost professionalism.

I could not disagree more. Gooding's outside of football ventures are total failures, except one.

And I'd say it should be Brian Cook that takes credit for turning the West Coast into a power house. As he is doing the same now in Geelong...

 

[chops_a_must]

What is he to do then if he has no savings, no income and is unable to work? Rot in an alley somewhere?

Why should he live any differently to any other junkie? It's only once they get to that point, or face the very real possibility of this happening, that they begin to consider changing. It's obviously a reality he has never had to face, and maybe that's a part of the problem...

 

[Prospector]

What is he to do then if he has no savings, no income and is unable to work? Rot in an alley somewhere?

Isn't this what happens to the 'normal' person? No-one would pick up after them! And yes chops, that realisation is what he needs.

 

[doctorj]

Yup, it's probably what does happen to the average junky, but that doesn't make it any more desirable for them either.

I agree that he needs to come back down to Earth, but at what cost? I don't think the WCE throwing him out and slamming the door behind him is the right solution.

Fire him, then see he get's proper help.