How do you know? Melbourne is just a bigger fish bowl. He cant escape the environment here and has made a goose of himself in public here before.

I love Perth, great city, but it does have a fairly well-known ingrained drug culture there.

As most people I've met that grew up in Perth say 'there's just not that much to do there...'

An by sheer weight of numbers it is easier for AFL players in Melb compared to Perth, in my opinion.

There are so few of them there, and then so few stars. In Melb we are lucky enough to have a plethora of genuine stars to share the load, & enough places to go to keep out of the spotlight.

I love Perth, great city, but it does have a fairly well-known ingrained drug culture there.

As most people I've met that grew up in Perth say 'there's just not that much to do there...'

An by sheer weight of numbers it is easier for AFL players in Melb compared to Perth, in my opinion.

There are so few of them there, and then so few stars. In Melb we are lucky enough to have a plethora of genuine stars to share the load, & enough places to go to keep out of the spotlight.

Tony Mokbel seemed to have something well ingrained in Melbourne.

If you think Benny will be able to hide away in Melbourne, your dreaming. His cards are marked and identity so well known that a false hat, wig and glasses wont help.

Was just announced on SEN, Ben Cousins released a statement acknowledging the AFL's decision to grant him permission to re-register and nominate for the draft to play again in the AFL. More importantly he acknowledged the special conditions set out by the AFL and looks forward to resuming his career.

Contrast this to at least 2 other AFL players who have tested positive on 2 occassions, yet continue to play AFL football, without public scrutiny.

Fwiw, apparently it's six players.

Can i just say i believe some are being a little harsh towards Benny. Should he not be given another chance? I dont think he would have a "negative" impact on our

up and coming players, quite the opposite. Our players are young and would look up to Benny for the "player" he is. Bennys on field qualities are what MFC need. I'm sure if we gave him a chance he'd repay us! he know success! Something we haven't tasted in some time. And as both MFC and Ben Cousins have hit rock bottom, why not rise together? A chance i'm sure they will take.

I agree with those who've suggested that Cousins could be provide leadership to the young players. That is, of course, leadership on the track and on the field. Cousins would not only instantly be our best player, he would be our best and hardest runner (our only genuine gut-runner) and probably our best and hardest trainer. He could certainly set an example of what it takes to be a champion in a way that no one else on the list can. Whether or not he's worth getting in order to set this example for the youngsters, given the risks of relapse, I'm not sure. But there is certainly room for an older player or two on the list if they have his qualities - young players don't just develop through coaching.

I'd say Cameron Bruce is a gut-runner

He also has "hands on" experience on what NOT to do. Very valuable.

I'd say Cameron Bruce is a gut-runner

Yeah, I was thinking about him as a possibility. He is an excellent natural endurance runner, but I've never seen him exert himself to the point where he looks positively ill and on the verge of collapse. I've seen Cousins do this a lot. Guts of any kind is not something Bruce has earned a name for in my view.

Recruit Cousins?

Forget it, for more reasons I can't be bothered elaborating on as they've been posted numerous times before.

It ain't gonna happen so direct your energies and enthusiasms elsewhere.

The MFC has definitely made the right call on this one.

Fwiw, apparently it's six players.

Hasn't one player recently tested positive a third time?

No point in recruiting Cousins, not for the reasons of anything that has already happened to him, but because it's not going to help us win a flag.

He's in the position Stuart Dew was in last year, he has to go to somewhere with a realistic shot at a flag, given his age..

Am I the only one who thinks it very convenient that Cousins has the full body wax and shaved head just before he goes to get his hair test???

As if he and his management didn't know you needed a 3cm sample to get a proper result

dodgy dodgy dodgy

I dare say if he had provided the sample and it was all clear he may not have such strict requirements

Fwiw, apparently it's six players.

Hasn't one player recently tested positive a third time?

And done a stint in a rehab program.......allegedly !!!

And done a stint in a rehab program.......allegedly !!!

Well shouldn't that mean their contract is done & dusted and they are out of the league then .. ?

1/ MFC should take the best possible player available. i.e., Nat draft use a good picks for good kids end of story - No Thankyou for Cusins,

But....

2/ PSD - This could be the opportunity of a lifetime for the MFC.

He was the leader on field at the eagles even when J$DD was captin.

He is a champion of our game the best midfielder I have seen with Voss a close 2nd

He is the right fit for the MFC off field with el-presidents charity work etc

He would be worth 5,000 extra fans round 1 (This could become members in a hurry)

He is a fitness machine and might lift the bar for what I rate as the laziest midfield in the AFL

He will be at a bargin price

His exposure could get a major sponsor on board good fit for TAC or Quit etc

He is a potential coach (midfield/fitness) long term as well so could be a 10yr prospect for MFC

No other recycled player will offer MFC what ben will

He will not re-offend, if he does see you later and again will show the clubs tough stance for the young list.

if MFC have the opportunity in the PSD, decided not to draft ben and he ends up somewhere else and stars I would go close to not re-joining in 2010. I am a 17yr consecutive member. It is criminal some of the responses I have read from the club re ben. Surely the old we are considering all posisibilities is the right course.

For all those others that say no because of history, get off your high horses there is a drug issue competition wide and this bloke has been made the scape goat by the press and AFL. Remember he never returned a positive test!

Can't wait to see watts on the end of bens magic later in the year!

There is simply no chance of Melbourne picking up Cousins. I repeat. NO CHANCE. Melbournefc have stipulated that. So forget him.

I've stated many times that the club should go for Cousins.

Who cares that we're not in a premiership window! Does that mean we must settle for an 18 year old overlooked in the National Draft.

All I care about is having a good midfield and Cousins would be spectacular for us.

Can't afford him? Then delist Daniel Bell and/or Brent Moloney

Him and Jack Watts would do amazing things to our membership campaign. We would be the talk of the town if Cousins made a successful return. If he fails then, we've only blown a PSD pick and still have 6 kids picked up in the ND.

C'mon MFC - show some balls and prove to the world that we can actually attract players.

C'mon MFC - show some balls and prove to the world that we can actually attract players.

and let's get Ash Sampi on board now that he's lost some weight!

C'mon MFC - show some balls and prove to the world that we can actually attract players.

And retain Carroll now that he has had a haircut.

BBP, your more likely to see Powell back than Cousins.

You've been out of town awhile...its shows.

If he fails then, we've only blown a PSD pick and still have 6 kids picked up in the ND.

Yes, because West Coast, a richer and more recently successful club than ours, really didn't suffer any residual damage when Cousins "failed" (literally)

Even if we were about to jump out of the premiership window, I still wouldn't want him anywhere near our list. There are 44 MFC listed players (or soon there will be), and every single one of them will do well to stay the hell away from people like Ben Cousins.

he's not coming

whether you think he should or not

he's just...not

Yeah, I was thinking about him as a possibility. He is an excellent natural endurance runner, but I've never seen him exert himself to the point where he looks positively ill and on the verge of collapse. I've seen Cousins do this a lot. Guts of any kind is not something Bruce has earned a name for in my view.

Ever thought that Ben's vomiting etc after exertion might be due to his drug intake at the time? Food for thought I reckon.

Look, if the bloke can't provide a 3cm hair sample, then his mind simply is not on the football job. He should have the balls to grow at least one 3cm hair for analysis, if he was fair dinkum. I could think of a couple of other regions where that could happen. Queensland for instance. <_<

Ahem! I think he waxed there too.

I think all clubs bar st kilda have been about conservative as a liberal government on the ben cousins matter. He's a superstar. Sure there's a risk, but its not as if you are throwing a first round draft pick at him. Its a psd. Look at the history of the PSD. It is a rubbish dump of recycled players. If he loses the plot, who cares, its worth a punt. Im booking in the saints for the flag if he plays the way he should.

PS: I KNOW that he is not coming to melbourne.