Anyone in need of slightly used midfielder

[Virgal_Tracy]

Drama in the West.http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=255579

Who else would be willing to take a chance based on his history?

[AndyP]

I don't think he'll be playing any football until this/he is sorted out.

And perhaps you forget that St Kilda picked up Cuz's mate Michael Gardiner, who's history is just as bad.

[Virgal_Tracy]

I realise that many clubs would have him in a heartbeat, problems and all. Maybe even Sydney as we are getting to be known as the reformers of previous bad boys.

[Fishman Dan]

I've heard failed a drugs test, and failed to turn up for a drug test. Either way - he's ****ed!!

[Jarro]

Maybe South Sydney will buy him ?

[AndyP]

I realise that many clubs would have him in a heartbeat, problems and all. Maybe even Sydney as we are getting to be known as the reformers of previous bad boys.
If Everitt is running a club raffle, DON'T buy a ticket.

[Bruce]

Cousins would be picked up by any and every team in the comp. The Eagles won't sack him - they can't afford to. The chance that another team would get his services without paying through the nose for him is something they can't allow. They might trade him now while he still has an astronomical value because his current lifestyle might not be able to maintain the performance on the park.

The only reason Laurence Angwin was given the flick was that his on-field performance wasn't up to par. Carlton would happily have put up with a drug taking/dealing thief if he was getting plenty of the footy. Having failed at AFL, the usual path into suburban footy even failed for him. Moonee Valley gave him the flick because he was such a bad influence on the club. Would they do the same for Ben Cousins?

[jimandr]

I suspect Bruce is spot-on with his assessment.

The AFL guys seem to be much more forgiving of off-field issues than us leaguies.

If he is fit and performing on the field, they'll give him another chance, perhaps after a token week off and a big 'fine' (which won't actually be paid).

If he's really on the outer, they'll try to trade him. Has Akermanis worn out his welcome at the Bulldogs yet?

[Bruce]

Aker seems to be buckling down a bit and making a big effort to fit into the Western Oval culture. I've seen him at a few of the SpiritWest functions where we both do a bit of volunteering. (Him because I'm sure it is part of his contract - me for more altruistic reasons.)

[Moe Norman]

It seems some of the newer recruits at West coast may not be so open minded as some of his older teammates.....

[Fishman Dan]

The only reason Laurence Angwin was given the flick was that his on-field performance wasn't up to par. Carlton would happily have put up with a drug taking/dealing thief if he was getting plenty of the footy. Having failed at AFL, the usual path into suburban footy even failed for him. Moonee Valley gave him the flick because he was such a bad influence on the club. Would they do the same for Ben Cousins?

Sorry Bruce, but you couldn't be more wrong. Angwin really showed his talent on the field, unfortunately he showed his other talents in the carpark as well. Carlton made several excuses to keep him, even some of the club greats mentoring him, but he didn't stay on track so the Blues had to cut the umbilical.

I was onboard the A-Train, it was a real shame that he went to waste.

[terryand]

Who is this fella you talk so fondly of Fishy, what era is he from?

Terry.

[Moe Norman]

Tezza,

He is from this era - he was on the drugs from day 1 and has since been blowing the whistle on all the other blokes getting on the happy pills.

He's probably a few years younger than me

[Fishman Dan]

Who is this fella you talk so fondly of Fishy, what era is he from?

Terry.

Tez - 2004 was his worst year. Turned up to training on ecstacy and admitted to coke use after games. He was from a nasty background.. typical 'wrong side of the tracks' stuff.

Just Google'd him to see he's taken a coaching role in Cairns as a changed man... at 24 years of age. Here's hoping he can stay on track. He really had talent.

Angwin in The Cairns Post (http://www.cairnspost.com.au/article/2007/01/25/2178_cairns_sports.html)

[AndyP]

Not the same calibre as Cousins or Gardiner or Kerr though. All he showed was "potential".

[Fishman Dan]

As far as taking drugs was concerned Angwin was in a world of his own!

[Bruce]

Sorry Bruce, but you couldn't be more wrong. Angwin really showed his talent on the field, unfortunately he showed his other talents in the carpark as well. Carlton made several excuses to keep him, even some of the club greats mentoring him, but he didn't stay on track so the Blues had to cut the umbilical.

I was onboard the A-Train, it was a real shame that he went to waste.

WTF are you talking about Fishy? He played a handful of games over 4 years on AFL lists. A career of glory (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/L/Laurence_Angwin.html). His entire AFL career matches an average day out for Cousins from a simple stats point of view.

[AndyP]

Decisive stuff by the Lions.
http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=39802

Expect a club in the future to name the whole squad as co-captains. :roll:

[Fishman Dan]

Ah stats, don't you love them.

Bruce - in those precious few games he showed he had talent. In just a few more for the Bullants he proved that he was a class above the VFL.

In 4 senior games as a 20 year old he kicked 6 goals (2 each in 3 games). Unfortunately your stats don't show how many minutes he played.

But you're right, there is no comparison between the 200cm youth and Ben Cousins :roll:

[dc68]

What is with the rumour that there has been biffo between team mates in Perth?

[Fishman Dan]

What is with the rumour that there has been biffo between team mates in Perth?

I've heard this too now - this whole melodrama has taken a turn and now sounds very Carey-like!

[Moe Norman]

What is with the rumour that there has been biffo between team mates in Perth? Maybe Andrew Embley didn't like getting cornered by Ben in the bedroom?

[Fishman Dan]

Maybe Andrew Embley didn't like getting cornered by Ben in the bedroom?

It doesn't sound like the corner was the problem! :shock:

[dc68]

I heard it was Daniel chick and Embley.

[Moe Norman]

Yeah - I think chick was defending his 'housemates' honour

[markTHEblake]

Yeah - I think chick was defending his 'housemates' honour

If this was the NRL the teammates reaction would have been quite similar.

anyway this doesnt appear to be a rumour, its all over the papers.

[Fishman Dan]

..anyway this doesnt appear to be a rumour, its all over the papers.

.. and the carpet... and the curtains..

[poidda]

Will the real Benny please stand up?

[McCoy]

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/articles/2007/03/17/1174080224796.html

I thought it was interesting. Cousins pretty clearly shows that the AFL drug code is a joke. I read a piece in one of the Sydney paper's saying that it wouldn't have happened if Cousins were a league player. It was just total crap, didn't the Cowboys sack a guy for cocaine use last year and then he was immediately snapped up by another club.
It's been a known problem for years, young guys with a lot of cash and a lot of free time = trouble. The attitude from all codes has been as long as it stays out of the papers we don't care.

I reckon they should start an auction on Ebay for a normal bloke to accompany the Eagles players on an end of season trip. Be worth every cent.

[Virgal_Tracy]

Worsfold last night saying that Cousins had been in breach of player code 5 times. just goes to show that the stars get a lot of latitude. A lesser player would've been gone long before getting to 5 breaches.

They also came out and named the unnamed player who ended up in hospital on their end of season trip. I'm sure they said that it was Chad Fletcher but still weren't sure if it was alcohol or something else

[Fishman Dan]

They named him a few days ago, but they aren't releasing any report of what he did to himself. Early attempts at dousing rumours was that alcohol + a presecription drug.

The eagles persistent attempts to divert media attention haven't helped.

[Grunt]

Heard this morning that he is going to the state to go to a rehab clinic in Arizona.

[BrisWesty]

Call them the Indian Coast Eagles (or ICE for short)

[McCoy]

Keeps getting better

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1880296.htm

How do you get a ticket to a Brownlow night?

[AndyP]

Nice work by the Kangaroos picking up Edwards too. It was known that he was trouble, but the Roos are so desperate they'll take anyone.

[Bruce]

How ****en useless is the AFL drugs policy? How is it possible Daniel Kerr has not got to 3 strikes by now? My cynicism for the AFL and the AFLPA suggest that they would have got the 2nd and stopped testing him as it would have been too embarrassing for them to have someone fail.

[McCoy]

the Roos are so desperate they'll take anyone.

Including full forwards from Hawthorn

The Kerr tape was four years ago. Who do the Eagles and the AFL think they're kidding with their "head in the sand" approach?

[AndyP]

Including full forwards from Hawthorn
Sooky full forwards who they traded too much for.
Then they go and trade just as much for our full back who had problems and has now retired.
Suckers!


The Kerr tape was four years ago. Who do the Eagles and the AFL think they're kidding with their "head in the sand" approach?8 Eagles have admitted taking drugs now apparently.

[Fishman Dan]

8 Eagles have admitted taking drugs now apparently.

I think 4 of those only admitted to licking the sweat from Ben Cousins, but that was enough to get them whacked.