Cousins In Crisis

So a lot of you reading this are probably aware of this man at right here, Ben Cousins, whether you support AFL or not. Cousins, West Coast Eagles superstar, Brownlow medallist and captain of a premeirship- winning side in 2005, was yesterday charged with drug possession and failing to take a blood test and will face court in Perth tomorrow.

This is the same man who, earlier this year, was shipped off to Miami for the best rehab that money can buy for his addiction to an as-yet unnamed drug - $150 000 of rehab all paid for by his football club. He then came back to play late in the season to a hero's welcome and had an amazing 38 touches in his return game. He was then embroiled in the suspected overdose of his good friend and ex-West Coast star Chris Mainwaring earlier this month.


There have been calls for the AFL to force West Coast to cut all ties with the troubled star, and according to the Herald Sun website, "West Coast's decision to end Cousins' career could stave off any AFL punishment to the club, which was threatened with loss of draft picks or premiership points if Cousins, or any Eagle, was found involved in the drugs again."

Cousins is undoubtedly a football legend, and it is so sad that his illustrious career is now tainted by his terrible addiction. Of course we all want him to return to good health and get help in order to do that, but where does West Coast's responsibility end and Cousins' begin? After all, Cousins is a grown man who has made decisions that have led him to this point. Cousins is at the edge of a precipice- it will be the next few weeks and months that will determine his future, not just as a football player (as his career is most likely over- too much red tape for West Coast) but as a man who has his whole life ahead of him. Will he return to rehab and finish his course this time around, or will he plunge further into his self-destructive downward spiral of devastation?
Only time will tell...
Above right: Cousins yesterday sat and smiled as police completed their two hour search of his vehicle
Above left: Cousins is led by police into a Perth police station. His torso tattoo, which he got on his return to football, reads "Such Is Life"