Ben Cousins - Suspended

[southerncross]

Reported on AFL.com that Cousins has been suspended. No other details

Thoughts?

[Dry Rot]

Was there an incident from our game?

[Go_Dogs]

That is what I would understand it to be DR.

I can see a lot of reports and suspensions happening this season...

Edit: Completely off the mark - internal suspension. Appears it could be drug related - apparently he was tested yesterday??

Watch this unfold...

[southerncross]

On SEN they mentioned that he missed Mondays training but the press conference has just started so we will soon find out

[firstdogonthemoon]

Why dont we have a heated discussion about testing for recreational drugs.

[southerncross]

This from AFL.com

West Coast has suspended former captain Ben Cousins indefinitely.
The ban was given to the Brownlow Medallist for breaking team rules after he missed a weights session on Monday morning, chairman Dalton Gooding confirmed today.
Gooding did not comment on why Cousins missed the session, except to say: "Ben has a number of very personal and private issues which the club is helping him to work through."
Gooding said the length of the suspension was not set, but could be as long as the entire season.
Throughout the suspension, Cousins will not be able to train with the club. This is a similar punishment to that handed out to Michael Gardiner last year before he was sacked by the club. Cousins will not be playing for his WAFL club, East Fremantle, this weekend.
In a further statement, the club said: "Ben has failed to fulfil his commitments as a professional member of the West Coast Eagles team to such a degree that his current situation is untenable.

"When Ben has addressed his ability to commit to the required level, his situation will be reviewed.
"It is with great sadness and regret that the club has been forced to take this action against a much-loved champion who has served this club with great distinction for more than a decade."
Cousins, 28, was stripped of the West Coast captaincy last year after he fled from a police booze bus.
Four months ago, the 2005 Brownlow medallist was arrested in Melbourne for being drunk outside Crown Casino.
Cousins won the 2005 Brownlow Medal, has won four West Coast best and fairest awards, is a six-time All-Australian and was voted the 2005 Most Valuable Player by the AFL Players Association.
He captained the Eagles 104 times from 2001-05 and is seventh on the club's games record list, with 231 games (202 goals) since 1996.

[Go_Dogs]

Why dont we have a heated discussion about testing for recreational drugs.

*forges Co-Sign*

*Co-sign*

Just jokes.

But, it would seem to be leading to something like that? Players missing training is always punished, and I know that Cousins is on his last chance etc, but really, a champion player like Cousins wouldn't be suspended indefinitely unless there was something bad going on, IMO at least. Gardiner was moved on last year - and I don't think that came as any surprise to anyone. Perhaps is Ben is having similar issues they want to take him away from the group, I'm sure they don't need such distractions on their quest for back to back glory.

[Go_Dogs]

From BF:

HOLY HELL, SEN have just reported that judd and cousins were in a fight last night at bens home. Ben is said to be in a serious but stable condition at an unamed perth hospital.

crapp

^ sounds like BS, but WC will have to come out with the truth soon enough. This sort of media will be killing them.

[alwaysadog]

This gets more and more crazy.

Wasn't he moving back home to live with his parents?

West Coast will have a hell of a job on their hands to contain this.

The first thought on everyone's mind is going to be that the rumours about his habits are true.

I thought Andrew D had the matter under control. The AFL must be frightened that the WCE are about to fall apart.

They can both do without all this poor publicity.

[Mofra]

Radio report said he had missed a couple of training sessions, and appeared to be "clearly intoxicated" at the club family day. news.com reports also state he missed a second training session.

[Go_Dogs]

Did he miss the trainings due to knowledge that drug testing would be called, and some how he had been tipped off about him being a name they were testing?

It all seems so strange. Eagles can't let this go on any longer, someone has to come clean about the whole situation.

[southerncross]

Also confirmed is that there was a physical altercation between Chick and Embley.
Cousins is not even allowed to train at his WAFL team

[GVGjr]

Did he miss the trainings due to knowledge that drug testing would be called, and some how he had been tipped off about him being a name they were testing?

It all seems so strange. Eagles can't let this go on any longer, someone has to come clean about the whole situation.

He was actually tested yesterday. Missed two training sessions as well.

[BulldogBelle]

A big stand from the Eagles, they would have had no choice but to suspend him as the media outcry would have gone through the roof if the Eagles didn't act on it.

Cousins obviously has some issues to sort through. I have always been a fan of his and I hope he gets it together.

[The Coon Dog]

Given the type of environment we are seeing at present in the Eagles camp, it makes you wonder how long it has been going on & the effect it would have had on younger players.

I have heard Rocket mention that Andrew McDougall is not only immature as a footballer, but as a person.

One can only assume he is the sort of person that would be far better away from that type of culture. I certainly hope so.