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For the first time in 18 years, Ben Cousins will attend a Brownlow Medal ceremony in Melbourne — in a major step forward for the former Eagle.
Speaking to The Australian on Monday, the 2005 Brownlow Medallist, will be in the room when this year’s greatest AFL player is recognised. But for Cousins and his rocky past, it marks a big step in his return.
A return marked by his new role as a member of the 7NEWS Perth team — Cousins reads sports during the morning news bulletin, with colleagues describing him as “keen to learn”.
And all his new teammates agree the reason he won’t reoffend is his children, who he sees regularly.
“I’m somebody that hasn’t been given a second chance,” he said.
“I’ve been given a third, fourth and fifth for whatever reason. But that’s what it’s taken.
“I want to make sure that other people in that sort of position are going to get the same understanding I do and the same help along the way I did.”
While Cousins attended the 2021 Brownlow, hosted in Perth, this year marks the first time he’s returned to the sporting capital of Australia for the ceremony.
The former Eagles superstar said football had been a “constant” in his turnbulent life.
“I know I’m starting from a long way back but I needed to feel like I was making a contribution,” he said.
“Once I was released, I wasn’t quite at the stage where I felt I was in a position to get back into full-time work so I connected with a community football club, just training a couple times a week over the summer. It was one I hadn’t had any involvement with prior so I didn’t know anybody at that stage.
“I was out of my comfort zone and getting to meet new people. It was football for me that was a constant. I enjoy having a kick and it was that which got me back involved in the community. It played a really important part in my recovery.”
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