Inside AFL legend Ben Cousins' new life at footy club where he's known by his nickname and is 'sensational for morale' - as he breaks 10-year exile after bouncing back from ice addiction
- Ben Cousins, 43, has settled in nicely to his new local footy club this season
- He has reinvigorated the primarily Indigenous club and been 'sensational'
- Cousins has offered a morale boost and is nicknamed 'Cuz' among players
- He is known as the most injured player in the club and by far the most famous
- The club now gets 1,000 spectators at home games - a jump from 150 last year
- Do you know more? Email brittany.chain@mailonline.com
Troubled football legend Ben Cousins' new teammates have adopted his on-field nickname around the sheds as he continues his remarkable comeback from a long-time meth addiction.
At the Queens Park Bulldogs, the Perth Metro Football League club Cousins, 43, joined in May after a 10-year hiatus while he battled drug addiction and spent time in jail, the AFL legend is known simply as 'Cuz'.
And his star power has been 'sensational' for the club's morale and crowd numbers, according to president Ross White.
'It's good for our club. We're just a small-time club and 90 per cent of our players are Indigenous and at times, people in the past have not really been that interested in us,' Mr White previously told SEN radio.
Cousins' presence has 'generated a lot of interest' in grassroots footy.
It's an inspirational story of resilience and has local fans in a tailspin as they turn out at home games hoping to catch a glimpse of the former AFL star.
More than 90 per cent of the players at the club are Indigenous, and Queens Park president Ross White said at times it was difficult to garner community interest in the team
Cousins won the Brownlow Medal in 2005 and captained the West Coast Eagles from 2001 to 2005, securing the club's best and fairest awards four out of those seasons.
His dramatic fall from grace was well documented from 2007 as he publicly battled a drug addiction and coped with his failed relationship with Maylea Tinecheff.
But earlier this year, Cousins reached out to the Perth club, indicating he'd like to get back to playing his best footy after a seven month stint in jail.
His presence has reinvigorated the local footy club, who now enjoy crowds upwards of 1,000 when, before, they'd be lucky to get 150 on a weekend.
Crowds gather to ask Cousins for photos at the conclusion of each match - win or lose - and he is happy to oblige
After struggling since the club's foundation in 2013 to garner community interest in the primarily-Aboriginal team, Mr White said it was astounding to see the turnaround at Cousins' first match.
'Canteen sales were massive, to have that gigantic crowd, it was like chalk and cheese.'
Another spokesman said Cousins has been 'sensational' at the club and great for morale.
'We have several fellas in similar situations that he had. He is always kicking the footy with our kids and always has no hesitation to have his photo taken with anyone.'
Ben Cousins has settled in nicely to his new local footy club after making a remarkable comeback from a harrowing meth addiction
It might just be his first season with the Bulldogs, but he's quickly become 'one of the boys' among his teammates
It might just be his first season with the Bulldogs, but he's quickly become 'one of the boys' among his teammates.
When building their player's profile on the new recruit, the Queens Park club boasted that he was by far the most famous player they'd ever had in their ranks.
'He's had more news articles [written] than games played,' the club said.
Two games into his season, he's already the club's most injured player and by far the most popular at games.
Crowds gather to ask Cousins for photos at the conclusion of each match - win or lose - and he is happy to oblige.
Fans of the club responded to the player profile describing Cousins as 'the most down to earth bloke around the club' and a 'cuz to everyone'
It's an inspirational story of resilience and has local fans in a tailspin as they turn out at home games hoping to catch a glimpse of the former AFL star
Fans of the club responded to the player profile describing Cousins as 'the most down to earth bloke around the club' and a 'cuz to everyone'.
Others described the Bulldogs forward as a 'legend'.
The Queens Park Bulldogs confirmed Cousins will be back on the field this season despite grappling with a hamstring injury.
The club prides itself on family values, described as 'a family club for men and women from all walks of life', and now consider Cousins one of them after accepting him into the fold.
Having Cousins in the fold is a major coup for the fledgling club, which only began in 2013 and quickly silenced naysayers who thought they'd never win a premiership.
'Told we were not good enough to join the amateurs and now five premierships in 8 years and a great family club, and we have one of the most popular WA blokes playing for us. Feels great for all involved at our club,' a spokesman said.
The 43-year-old, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, had plenty of time for fans as he stood on the sideline with his father Bryan watching his suburban club Queen's Park Bulldogs play in Perth last Sunday
His dramatic fall from grace was well documented from 2007 as he publicly battled a drug addiction and coped with his failed relationship with Maylea Tinecheff
Cousins, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, had plenty of time for fans as he stood on the sideline with his father Bryan watching his suburban club Queen's Park Bulldogs play in Perth last Sunday.
He held a cup of coffee as he shook one young supporter's hand, before signing a woman's jacket and posing for photos with others who approached him as he watched his new team take on ladder-leaders Koongamia.
'My husband had a great chat to him. He was so happy to talk. Gave him a hug too I think he was just really appreciative that after everything has happened, people still care about him,' one woman said.
Cousins played 238 games and booted 205 goals for the West Coast Eagles, where he won a premiership with the club in 2006.
He was later sacked and copped a one year ban from the AFL for repeated infringements.
The Queens Park Bulldogs confirmed Cousins will be back on the field this season despite grappling with a hamstring injury
When building their player's profile on the new recruit, the Queens Park club boasted that he was by far the most famous player they'd ever had in their ranks
He spiralled into a meth addiction which spanned more than a decade and resulted in several stints in jail and rehab
The Richmond Tigers gave Cousins a second chance in 2009, where he played 32 more games and 12 more goals before he retired in 2010.
From there, he spiralled into a meth addiction which spanned more than a decade and resulted in several stints in jail and rehab.
Cousins has come a long way in the 15 months since he spoke publicly for the first time in 10 years about his downward spiral.
Sporting long hair in a ponytail and a scruffy beard at the time, Cousins admitted in a documentary he'd 'stuffed things up royally' and that it was time to put things right.
'I hope people can see I'm having a crack at turning it around,' he said in March 2020.
He was arrested in Perth a month later after he allegedly being caught with 2.5grams of methamphetamine while asleep beside his car and spent the next seven months behind bars.
Cousins was a Brownlow medal winner and captained the West Coast Eagles from 2001 to 2005, securing the club's best and fairest awards four out of those seasons
His dramatic fall from grace was well documented from 2007 as he publicly battled a drug addiction and coped with his failed relationship with Maylea Tinecheff (pictured)
Cousins has been taking photos with fans and signing jerseys since he returned to park footy
