Ben Cousins is stepping again into the soccer world.
The mercurial midfielder hung up the boots in 2010 after 270 video games at West Coast and Richmond.
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Now greater than a decade after strolling away from the sport, the 2005 Brownlow Medal winner is stepping again into the fold in a part-time teaching function.
Cousins has been serving to out with WAFL facet Perth Demons once-a-week, a job he’s anticipated to proceed into 2023, in response to The West Australian.
The previous Eagles skipper has ties to the Perth Demons together with his father Bryan having performed 240 video games on the membership within the Nineteen Seventies and ‘80s.
Cousins isn’t the one Brownlow Medal winner to hitch the teaching ranks on the WAFL facet, with former Eagles star and 2014 Brownlow Medal winner Matt Priddis signing on because the midfield coach.
The brand new function comes shortly after the 44-year-old returned to tv after touchdown a gig with 7 Information in Perth.
Regardless of his stellar on-field achievements, it’s off the sector the place Cousins has dominated headlines after his long-running battle with drug dependancy.
Cousins had a troubled finish to his soccer profession, resigning his captaincy at West Coast in 2006 after fleeing an RBT earlier than it was revealed he had a substance abuse drawback.
Cousins frolicked in rehab in the identical yr earlier than he was arrested for drug possession the next yr.
He was delisted and banned from the AFL for 12 months, ending his time at West Coast after a Brownlow Medal in 2005, the 2006 premiership, six All-Australian choices and 238 video games.
In 2009, Cousins did return to the AFL, taking part in the ultimate two seasons of his profession at Richmond.
After his profession, Cousins’ life spiralled uncontrolled, resulting in a public battle with medication and authorized points, together with serving a 12-month jail sentence in 2017 for stalking the mom of his youngsters Maylea Tinecheff.
However in newer occasions, Cousins appeared match and wholesome and has come clear on how tough his restoration has been.
Talking in Bunbury in November 2018 West Coast premiership hero Dom Sheed, Cousins revealed he was lastly completely satisfied once more.
“It simply will get again to being completely satisfied and for a very long time, I hadn’t been and I had these fleeting moments the place I believed I used to be kidding myself simply to try to get by,” he stated.
“It’s been a giant battle however as we speak I sit right here and it’s not in any means concerning the issues I’ve given up or had to surrender or sacrifice, it’s all about issues I may give again.”
Cousins additionally spoke about his transfer to the Tigers, sharing his gratitude the membership gave him probability, The West Australian reported.
“I performed the vast majority of my soccer at West Coast and by no means as soon as did I entertain the concept of leaving West Coast or did I ever see my future being something aside from a one-team participant however clearly what occurred, occurred,” he stated.
“One of many nice issues about that complete state of affairs was the chance that I obtained to play for Richmond who had been form of courageous sufficient to take it on and choose me up.
“I used to be determined to play, I used to be no assure to get picked up and there was a circus that form of adopted me for 12 or 18 months.
“As a lot as I might have cherished for it to be only a soccer determination, it actually wasn’t.
“I’m ceaselessly grateful. (Richmond) had been a improbable membership to play for.
“I had two fairly robust years on area but it surely’s been wonderful to be at that footy membership at the moment with a handful of that core group that was capable of go on and construct one thing from these days and win these three grand finals and have that dynasty.”
