After going to the brink of ruin because of drugs and alcohol, the AFL has announced that ex-West Coast Eagles star Ben Cousins’ off-field scandals haven’t ruled him out of the Hall of Fame.
Cousins was a generational talent and even during his darkest days he was still a premiership winner, Brownlow Medalist and a six-time All Australian.
While juggling his addiction he was still good enough on the field to carve out a career worthy of a spot in the AFL Hall of Fame.
But like other troubled footballers before him – such as Gary Ablett Senior and North Melbourne’s Wayne Carey – Cousins’ candidacy for one of the sport’s ultimate honours has been thrown into doubt.
But after turning his life around, Cousins wait might not be waiting much longer with AFL Commission chair Richard Goyder revealing his football career will be honoured ‘in due course’.
Cousins (pictured left with fellow West Coast legend Chris Judd) did more than enough on the field to warrant a place in the AFL Hall of Fame
However, his addiction to drugs and alcohol resulted in Cousins prematurely retiring from the AFL in 2010 and spending 10 months in jail for stalking an ex-girlfriend
Today, Cousins has cleaned his life up and the AFL has now confirmed he’s still eligible for a spot in the Hall of Fame
It came on the day that the league announced that former Hawthorn full-forward Jason Dunstall would be elevated to Legend status this year.
Previously, the AFL has remained mute on whether the former Eagles and 해외에이전시 Tigers star’s long list of off-field scandals had ruled him out of the Hall.
It is easy to understand why, with Cousins’ headline-making acts continuing until as recently as 2019.
His public battles began in 2007 when rumors surfaced about his drug use amid incidents like abandoning his car to evade police and being found asleep outside a casino.
Despite efforts at rehabilitation, including stints in costly US rehab facilities, his struggles persisted, culminating in multiple arrests and legal issues.
Despite his challenges, Cousins continued to play professional football, even after being suspended from the AFL in 2007. He joined Richmond in 2009 but retired after two seasons.
Cousins’ issues first came to public light in 2007 and stretched on for many years, with his most recent arrest in 2020
A happy, healthy and lean Ben Cousins is now ready to show what he has got on blockbuster Channel 7 show Dancing with the Stars (pictured)
Channel Seven first took a chance on Cousins by offering him a newsreader position in Perth in an act that has helped the troubled former AFL star turn his life around
Cousins’ personal life also saw turbulence, with relationships strained and legal issues involving his former partner and children.
Despite efforts at rehabilitation, including undergoing treatment and seeking counselling, his battles with addiction and the law persisted.
In 2018, Cousins was released from jail after spending 10 months inside for stalking an ex-partner but faced further legal troubles and spent seven months behind bars in 2020.
All up, he was jailed on six separate occasions in 13 years – but today, things have changed.
Cousins made a welcome return to the Eagles this year, playing in a Second Generation Academy curtain-raiser match against GWS on March 24 (pictured)
AFL commission chair Richard Goyder has given Cousins hope, saying he will be considered for the Hall of Fame ‘in due course’ and speaking glowingly about his recovery
Cousins has significantly changed his life by working at Channel 7 as a sports newsreader in Perth three times a week.
He has also joined a Perth radio breakfast team on Mix94.5, and is about to debut on the Seven hit show Dancing With the Stars.
After joining Seven last year, the former West Coast player has been analysing AFL games on weekends.
‘I will say it’s a joy to see Ben in the shape he’s in right now, and I’ve seen a fair bit of him in the west,’ Goyder said.
‘I think [Cousins’ recovery] is fantastic … what I would say with Hall of Fame, and it’s almost my precursor to our committee discussions each year, is it’s not who’s in, it’s who’s not in.
‘It’s an incredibly high bar to be a Hall of Famer in the AFL, and it’s even higher to be a Legend, so we’ll look at those things in due course.’
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