Mark Planamente
NormCousins Out As Eagles Try To Take Control
March 20th 2007 12:56
The AFL regular season has not even started yet, but it seems to most people that last year’s premiers, the West Coast Eagles, are already tearing at the seams.
This comes after the shocking announcement that the Eagles star midfielder, and former captain, Ben Cousins has been suspended from the club indefinitely due to breaching club rules.
Cousins has missed two training sessions with no real reason, and therefore placed West Coast in a very compromising position. After a horror pre-season (only winning one match), the announcement that drinking and drug abuse was apparent in the club, and the entire jail scenario with Kerr earlier in the year, they had no choice but to make an example out of arguably their best player after he breached the club rules yet again, and ban him from the club.
Cousins is experiencing personal dramas, with his relationship with girlfriend Samantha Druce reportedly over, and has commented to the club that battling these demons is why he has missed training.
However the Eagles, who have seen another dominant year slip from their grasp with so many off-field dramas, were placed in a position where they could not take another excuse from the often troubled player.
Cousins has been in many off-field dramas in the past year, it seems that he is commented more on his action off the ground than on over in Western Australia. Stripped of his captaincy last year due to running from the police, Cousins has also been involved in brawls both with the general public and even fellow players, public drunkenness and even connections to the underworld in the past three years.
It seemed to be the final straw as Cousins not only missed the important training sessions a mere week before the AFL season starts, but also was absent when drug testers made an appearance at the club – with Cousin’s name on their list.
Personally, this was the best thing that the West Coast Eagles have done to try and curb their off-field problems. It is no secret that they have been desperate in keeping their players out of hot water, and suspending a recent Brownlow medallist has finally proved to their club, their supporters, and the entire football league that they will get their house in order.
It is a shame that a player to Cousin’s calibre might miss out of an entire season of playing, but it is what the Eagles had to do to make sure that their entire squad gets their act together. Ben Cousins has been a bittersweet player for them, as he has given the team success but also dragged them through controversy, and they had to do something to prove that there is only so much they could endure before they begin to bite back.
What West Coast has done is stood firm and set down an edict; the club is bigger than any player. They have finally stood up and displayed to the Australian Rules community that despite a player’s ability, they have to act in an responsible manner and above all, respect the emblem that they wear on their chest.
What this means is that players might finally get into line over in Western Australia. With Cousins essentially given a dishonourable discharge from the club, maybe other players will finally see that playing for West Coast does not mean that they can run amok without consequences. Every single player has a contract with the West Coast Eagles, and this means that they have to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the club, or else face disciplinary actions. Cousins just reached his quota and left the Eagles with no other option than to suspend him.
As for Cousins? Well we are not talking about an Gardiner incident here, as Cousins is undoubtably one of the best players in the league. Hopefully he can get all his problems solved in time for him to have another stellar year in the blue and gold.
However if he needs, like many troubled players have needed before him, a change of scenery to get his life together, there would not be a shortage of takers if the Eagles have to let him go. Just in Melbourne alone, where Cousins family is, there would be ten clubs eager to add him to their line-up.
But time will tell if Cousins needs a fresh environment, or just needed a kick in the pants like West Coast has just given him.
Until next time, sporting minds.
This comes after the shocking announcement that the Eagles star midfielder, and former captain, Ben Cousins has been suspended from the club indefinitely due to breaching club rules.
Cousins has missed two training sessions with no real reason, and therefore placed West Coast in a very compromising position. After a horror pre-season (only winning one match), the announcement that drinking and drug abuse was apparent in the club, and the entire jail scenario with Kerr earlier in the year, they had no choice but to make an example out of arguably their best player after he breached the club rules yet again, and ban him from the club.
Cousins is experiencing personal dramas, with his relationship with girlfriend Samantha Druce reportedly over, and has commented to the club that battling these demons is why he has missed training.
However the Eagles, who have seen another dominant year slip from their grasp with so many off-field dramas, were placed in a position where they could not take another excuse from the often troubled player.
Cousins has been in many off-field dramas in the past year, it seems that he is commented more on his action off the ground than on over in Western Australia. Stripped of his captaincy last year due to running from the police, Cousins has also been involved in brawls both with the general public and even fellow players, public drunkenness and even connections to the underworld in the past three years.
It seemed to be the final straw as Cousins not only missed the important training sessions a mere week before the AFL season starts, but also was absent when drug testers made an appearance at the club – with Cousin’s name on their list.
Personally, this was the best thing that the West Coast Eagles have done to try and curb their off-field problems. It is no secret that they have been desperate in keeping their players out of hot water, and suspending a recent Brownlow medallist has finally proved to their club, their supporters, and the entire football league that they will get their house in order.
It is a shame that a player to Cousin’s calibre might miss out of an entire season of playing, but it is what the Eagles had to do to make sure that their entire squad gets their act together. Ben Cousins has been a bittersweet player for them, as he has given the team success but also dragged them through controversy, and they had to do something to prove that there is only so much they could endure before they begin to bite back.
What West Coast has done is stood firm and set down an edict; the club is bigger than any player. They have finally stood up and displayed to the Australian Rules community that despite a player’s ability, they have to act in an responsible manner and above all, respect the emblem that they wear on their chest.
What this means is that players might finally get into line over in Western Australia. With Cousins essentially given a dishonourable discharge from the club, maybe other players will finally see that playing for West Coast does not mean that they can run amok without consequences. Every single player has a contract with the West Coast Eagles, and this means that they have to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the club, or else face disciplinary actions. Cousins just reached his quota and left the Eagles with no other option than to suspend him.
As for Cousins? Well we are not talking about an Gardiner incident here, as Cousins is undoubtably one of the best players in the league. Hopefully he can get all his problems solved in time for him to have another stellar year in the blue and gold.
However if he needs, like many troubled players have needed before him, a change of scenery to get his life together, there would not be a shortage of takers if the Eagles have to let him go. Just in Melbourne alone, where Cousins family is, there would be ten clubs eager to add him to their line-up.
But time will tell if Cousins needs a fresh environment, or just needed a kick in the pants like West Coast has just given him.
Until next time, sporting minds.
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