Why not Cousins?

[Hartijon]

Hypocritical

Sure ,I agree about everything people have said about Cousins and his problems but he certainly isn't alone among AFL players or the general population in having a drug problem. If you include alcohol/cigarettes as drugs too he is by no means alone and there must be many players who are happy for him to take the heat while they slip under the radar.The most disturbing thing he demonstrates is that you can have a drug addiction and still be an outstanding athlete.

Drug addiction is not a crime .its an illness that can be cured. As a human being he deserves help, forgiveness and and chance to resurrect a stellar career. If he succeeded in this what a great role model that would be and how good would the AFL look in not abandoning its players who have serious peronal problems.

[ScottH]

No. No chances, no breaks.

Here's my latest issue ...

Either the "ex"-junkie or his pimp mentioned that "AFL is a part of the rehabilitation" - i.e. (as I understand), they are factoring AFL into his rehab program to get over his self-confessed addiction to drugs.

Now, if he doesn't get picked up at the top level - which is what he wants, and realistically, a few clubs have looked into it and have said outright - no, what happens to his rehab programme? I hope he has a Plan B.

Also, I think that Voss has even less experience than Lyons in trying to handle a basket case and the media hype that goes with it. Voss has marbles for brains if he thinks he's going to be able to handle the "ex"-junkie and debut as a coach with no experience. Really, the media are going to chew him up enough as it is, without the extra crap.

And ... the swans have already said no, no, no.

But then Wittle Johnny said we'd NEVER have GST.

[AnnieH]

But then Wittle Johnny said we'd NEVER have GST.

and we all knew he was lying when he said it, and still voted him in. At the time, the devil we knew was a bastard.

[Plugger46]

Sure ,I agree about everything people have said about Cousins and his problems but he certainly isn't alone among AFL players or the general population in having a drug problem. If you include alcohol/cigarettes as drugs too he is by no means alone and there must be many players who are happy for him to take the heat while they slip under the radar.The most disturbing thing he demonstrates is that you can have a drug addiction and still be an outstanding athlete.

Drug addiction is not a crime .its an illness that can be cured. As a human being he deserves help, forgiveness and and chance to resurrect a stellar career. If he succeeded in this what a great role model that would be and how good would the AFL look in not abandoning its players who have serious peronal problems.

My thoughts exactly.

[Bart]

We have nothing to lose by picking Cousins up in a late draft pick. For a club that has a very hit-and-miss history of drafting players towards the end of their career as well as having our fair share of headcases, Cousins is a no brainer. Sure @@@@ him off if he @@@@s up, but take the punt. Judging by the membership thread, looks like the next year is going to be lean. Give the fans and the media something to talk about in this market. Boost the crowd every week by 2000 rubber necks. Hes @@@@@@ up big time. He appears repentant. But if it works out, a player like Cousins has the capability of lifting an entire team.

[AnnieH]

We have nothing to lose by picking Cousins up in a late draft pick. For a club that has a very hit-and-miss history of drafting players towards the end of their career as well as having our fair share of headcases, Cousins is a no brainer. Sure @@@@ him off if he @@@@s up, but take the punt. Judging by the membership thread, looks like the next year is going to be lean. Give the fans and the media something to talk about in this market. Boost the crowd every week by 2000 rubber necks. Hes @@@@@@ up big time. He appears repentant. But if it works out, a player like Cousins has the capability of lifting an entire team.

... so does special k.

[573v30]

... so does special k.

That was Wayne... I mean Daniel Kerr.

[Cardinal]

Cousins! Smashed us in his come back game, rubbed it in after the ?96 grand final but I still don?t hate him as much as Plugger before he joined the Swans. Clubs keep knocking back the prospect of drafting Cousins, media commentators and posts keep bagging him, but I still can't work out the real reluctance.

If the AFL can essentially clear him to play he can?t be that big a risk. Cleared to play even after publicly humiliating the almighty AFL executive by showing up their illicit drug testing regime to be hopeless (as compared to the positive nature (excuse the pun) of the AFL?s illicit drugs policy). Surely under these circumstances we can assume his rehab must generally be going well.

Is it fickle fans leaving? Is it the rest of the team taking drugs? Sponsors running away having suddenly developed a social conscious? Losing what is a gamble of a late draft pick? If the Swans picked Cousins (assuming he wanted to be part of the team) we?d have a great stimulus for the season both on and off the field.

And out of curiosity I'd like to see the medical advice that says it's good for Mr Cousin's health to be potentially drug tested every second day. Sounds more like the policy of certain homeless shelters.

[AnnieH]

snip ...And out of curiosity I'd like to see the medical advice that says it's good for Mr Cousin's health to be potentially drug tested every second day. Sounds more like the policy of certain homeless shelters.

I don't think it'll be too hard for him to hand over a piss sample every two days, unless his junkie ways wrecked his kidneys or something.

[Veszpremi13]

Cousins! Smashed us in his come back game, rubbed it in after the ?96 grand final but I still don?t hate him as much as Plugger before he joined the Swans. Clubs keep knocking back the prospect of drafting Cousins, media commentators and posts keep bagging him, but I still can't work out the real reluctance.

If the AFL can essentially clear him to play he can?t be that big a risk. Cleared to play even after publicly humiliating the almighty AFL executive by showing up their illicit drug testing regime to be hopeless (as compared to the positive nature (excuse the pun) of the AFL?s illicit drugs policy). Surely under these circumstances we can assume his rehab must generally be going well.

Is it fickle fans leaving? Is it the rest of the team taking drugs? Sponsors running away having suddenly developed a social conscious? Losing what is a gamble of a late draft pick? If the Swans picked Cousins (assuming he wanted to be part of the team) we?d have a great stimulus for the season both on and off the field.

And out of curiosity I'd like to see the medical advice that says it's good for Mr Cousin's health to be potentially drug tested every second day. Sounds more like the policy of certain homeless shelters.

Rubbed it in after the 96 Grand Final?

[ScottH]

Rubbed it in after the 96 Grand Final?

The winding up of the arm, got up a lot of peoples noses.

[Triple B]

I think it may be '06 Scott

[reigning premier]

Pick 61, take him.

If we're serious about 09 as a genuine flag prospect, we need Cousins. Period.

So the choice is simple people.

Want a flag? Then go get Cousins.

Happy to fall into the finals and be eliminated week one or two? Then let him go somewhere else.

[573v30]

If the Lions pick Cousins, there's a chance they'll beat us for once.

[573v30]

Lions dash Cousins's hopes

This makes things even more interesting.