http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Cousins-banished-West-Coast-at-war/2007/03/20/1174153024747.html
Cousins banished, West Coast at war
The AFL career of Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins is in jeopardy and West Coast are in crisis after the club slapped its spiritual leader with an indefinite suspension.
The Eagles also later admitted two of Cousins' teammates had fought over their former skipper.
After a succession of misdemeanours spanning years, Cousins was banished indefinitely by the reigning premier after he failed to attend a training session on Monday.
In announcing the suspension, Eagles chairman Dalton Gooding said a number of issues affecting the 28-year-old had come to light in recent weeks, which would need counselling to address.
And the beleaguered Eagles chief later admitted grand final hero Daniel Chick and Norm Smith medallist Andrew Embley had been involved in an altercation over the weekend, with the incident directly related to Cousins.
"I am aware, and there was an altercation between those two players ... over Ben Cousins and a domestic issue," Gooding told SEN radio.
"Certainly (coach) John Worsfold will be working Daniel Chick and Andrew Embley to sort that issue out, and I have enormous confidence in John's ability to do that.
"I think that will resolved fairly quickly."
Gooding refused several times to elaborate on what Cousins' personal issues were, although it is believed the former Eagles skipper has split up with his long-time girlfriend Samantha Druce.
Gooding said Cousins had been one of three Eagles players drug-tested on Monday - despite missing training without explanation.
Chick, who has hosted Cousins at his home, also missed training.
"Over the past few weeks those issues have come to the surface, and it is time for Ben to be suspended from the club to go away and try and tackle these ... issues head on," Gooding said.
"They are very personal and very private issues and the club is prepared to work with Ben - he is one of our great players and it is a very sad day.
"We have a duty of care to all our employees, and we will work closely with Ben and his family to help him overcome these ... issues.
"He is an outstanding young man, and we are confident that with the appropriate help and counselling hopefully he can come back and play great football."
Gooding would not estimate how long Cousins would be suspended, saying he would not play for WAFL club East Fremantle nor train with the Eagles in the interim.
"It will depend entirely when we believe Ben is in appropriate condition to come to the club once he has overcome his private and personal issues - it maybe be weeks, it may be months, it may be a year," Gooding said.
And the chairman said the club had sought legal advice over whether it had to continue to pay Cousins' wages.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou backed the Eagles' handling of the issue, and sent a message to Cousins and every other league player.
"The message (to Ben) is to go away, get your life in order, and get back on the football field to do what you do best," Demetriou said.
"And any other player who thinks they can buck the system, they could learn a lot from Ben Cousins."
AFL Players Association (AFLPA) chief executive Brendon Gale said West Coast were within their rights to suspend Cousins.
The extraordinary step to suspend a club legend comes after a tumultuous summer which has seen Cousins and teammates Daniel Kerr and Chad Fletcher all the subject of intense media scrutiny.
Four months ago Cousins was arrested in Melbourne for being drunk outside Crown Casino, while Kerr has been arrested twice - once for an alleged assault at a party and again for an admitted assault on a taxi driver in a hospital car park.
Fletcher was then named as the player involved in a near-death drama in Las Vegas following the grand final last year.
That storm prompted Gooding last week to admit the club had a drug problem, and he issued the ultimatum to all players that any more breaches would be dealt with harshly.
"When Daniel Kerr was fined the board said that it would be very tough on players who breached team rules or breach the core values of the club," Gooding said.
"This is further evidence of the stance our board is taking. Enough is enough."
Eagles legend Glen Jakovich said he was aware of some family issues Cousins was dealing with, and his welfare - not his footballing future - was now paramount.
"What we have to be careful is that someone's life is spiralling a little bit out of control, to say the least, and his wellbeing is of more concern and needs urgent attention," Jakovich told SEN.
Since his arrival at West Coast in 1995, Cousins has won four best and fairest awards, is a six-time All-Australian and was voted the 2005 Most Valuable Player by the AFLPA.
He won the Brownlow Medal in 2005, and completed the set with the Eagles' premiership win last season.
© 2007 AAP
Cousins banished, West Coast at war
The AFL career of Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins is in jeopardy and West Coast are in crisis after the club slapped its spiritual leader with an indefinite suspension.
The Eagles also later admitted two of Cousins' teammates had fought over their former skipper.
After a succession of misdemeanours spanning years, Cousins was banished indefinitely by the reigning premier after he failed to attend a training session on Monday.
In announcing the suspension, Eagles chairman Dalton Gooding said a number of issues affecting the 28-year-old had come to light in recent weeks, which would need counselling to address.
And the beleaguered Eagles chief later admitted grand final hero Daniel Chick and Norm Smith medallist Andrew Embley had been involved in an altercation over the weekend, with the incident directly related to Cousins.
"I am aware, and there was an altercation between those two players ... over Ben Cousins and a domestic issue," Gooding told SEN radio.
"Certainly (coach) John Worsfold will be working Daniel Chick and Andrew Embley to sort that issue out, and I have enormous confidence in John's ability to do that.
"I think that will resolved fairly quickly."
Gooding refused several times to elaborate on what Cousins' personal issues were, although it is believed the former Eagles skipper has split up with his long-time girlfriend Samantha Druce.
Gooding said Cousins had been one of three Eagles players drug-tested on Monday - despite missing training without explanation.
Chick, who has hosted Cousins at his home, also missed training.
"Over the past few weeks those issues have come to the surface, and it is time for Ben to be suspended from the club to go away and try and tackle these ... issues head on," Gooding said.
"They are very personal and very private issues and the club is prepared to work with Ben - he is one of our great players and it is a very sad day.
"We have a duty of care to all our employees, and we will work closely with Ben and his family to help him overcome these ... issues.
"He is an outstanding young man, and we are confident that with the appropriate help and counselling hopefully he can come back and play great football."
Gooding would not estimate how long Cousins would be suspended, saying he would not play for WAFL club East Fremantle nor train with the Eagles in the interim.
"It will depend entirely when we believe Ben is in appropriate condition to come to the club once he has overcome his private and personal issues - it maybe be weeks, it may be months, it may be a year," Gooding said.
And the chairman said the club had sought legal advice over whether it had to continue to pay Cousins' wages.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou backed the Eagles' handling of the issue, and sent a message to Cousins and every other league player.
"The message (to Ben) is to go away, get your life in order, and get back on the football field to do what you do best," Demetriou said.
"And any other player who thinks they can buck the system, they could learn a lot from Ben Cousins."
AFL Players Association (AFLPA) chief executive Brendon Gale said West Coast were within their rights to suspend Cousins.
The extraordinary step to suspend a club legend comes after a tumultuous summer which has seen Cousins and teammates Daniel Kerr and Chad Fletcher all the subject of intense media scrutiny.
Four months ago Cousins was arrested in Melbourne for being drunk outside Crown Casino, while Kerr has been arrested twice - once for an alleged assault at a party and again for an admitted assault on a taxi driver in a hospital car park.
Fletcher was then named as the player involved in a near-death drama in Las Vegas following the grand final last year.
That storm prompted Gooding last week to admit the club had a drug problem, and he issued the ultimatum to all players that any more breaches would be dealt with harshly.
"When Daniel Kerr was fined the board said that it would be very tough on players who breached team rules or breach the core values of the club," Gooding said.
"This is further evidence of the stance our board is taking. Enough is enough."
Eagles legend Glen Jakovich said he was aware of some family issues Cousins was dealing with, and his welfare - not his footballing future - was now paramount.
"What we have to be careful is that someone's life is spiralling a little bit out of control, to say the least, and his wellbeing is of more concern and needs urgent attention," Jakovich told SEN.
Since his arrival at West Coast in 1995, Cousins has won four best and fairest awards, is a six-time All-Australian and was voted the 2005 Most Valuable Player by the AFLPA.
He won the Brownlow Medal in 2005, and completed the set with the Eagles' premiership win last season.
© 2007 AAP
