Should Essendon sign Cousins?

[dom_105]

Just throwing it out there for a reaction really. I was reading the paper last night and it had a bit on him going to Hellfire Pass on ANZAC Day. Malthouse has been meeting him a few times this last month, and he really seems to have turned his life around.

We all know his history, but,

He is a premiership player
A Brownlow Medalist
AFLPA MVP
4 time club Best & Fairest
6 time All-Australian.

And will no doubt be in the Pre-Season draft next year. You will never, ever get a player in the Pre-Season draft that qualified.

So,if he really has turned his life around, and if he makes a fair dinkim commitment that all the funny business will stop, would you entertain the idea of getting him to Windy Hill? He will be 30 next year, and you would think he would have a few years left. Could add some much needed class and polish to the midfield, which is lacking both in large amounts.

On his day, he was one to watch. What better player for the young midfielders to learn off than the best.

Thoughts?

[tonysoprano]

too risky.

and he's a c***

[KaaN10]

He's just the player we need, our midfield isn't great atm.

But Cousins is always a risk.

[swoodley]

NO, NEVER, NOT ON YOUR LIFE, NO WAY, NOT IN A MILLION YEARS

ps: What Tony said...he's a c***

[jimmyc1985]

Negative. It's the sort of thing that could potentially cast a pall over a club for years if it went wrong, like the Wayne Carey saga at North (completely different circumstances, but you catch my drift).

[Doctor Fish]

I reckon Malthouse is already sussing this out and he's probably going to be running out with the Collywobblers next year. But yeah, maybe. If he's on the straight and narrow. But under strict instructions never to wear those low neck t-shirts again...

Admit it folks. He'd be a handy pickup. We need a bit of "c***" back in our team...

[andrewb]

We should get him to come and train with the team to show them the meaning of gut running. But I wouldn't draft him... he's two years away from having any real impact once he does return if you use aker as the benchmark, he'd find ways to do his hammies here (we don't have mids who make it to 30 under quinn) and it would be destabilising.

[robbie67]

Yes we should. He is everything we dont have. His on-field ability and leadership cannot be questioned. He is well worth the risk. We cant have all milk drinkers. If we have the chance, and dont get him, it will be the biggest mistake we have made since Corcoran over-ruled Sheedy, and we didnt get Martin Pike.

[Scott]

Absolutely we should.

[Megan]

IF we still had Hirdy and Sheeds I'd consider it but really, Knighta and Lloydy are a bit of an unknown quantity in my eyes in regards to whether or not they can make a player pull their head in.

So I vote for safety and say no.

[hop]

No way.

Build a team - not buy one.

[BenDoolan]

He's gonna be 30 in June. His best football is behind him. He would still be a good player though, but comes with a lot of baggage. He won't bring us success on his own.

[F111]

No.
Excellent footballer, but not at the age of 30+, with a history like his. He won't ever wear an EFC premiership medal coming here for 2-3 years.
If we were half a chance of top four in 2010, then maybe. We aren't, so no.
Imagine his hammies after playing at the Dome all the time!! He'd never get fit enough.

[bomberdonnie]

Yes we should. He is everything we dont have. His on-field ability and leadership cannot be questioned. He is well worth the risk. We cant have all milk drinkers. If we have the chance, and dont get him, it will be the biggest mistake we have made since Corcoran over-ruled Sheedy, and we didnt get Martin Pike.

this over ruling cost us at least one and possibly two flags

Cheers Danny

[Stocksy]

With out a doubt...

Even if you only got 1 good year out of him it would be priceless for our up and coming wanna be midfielders. Its nmot as if we would be holding anyone back and its not as if the club has anyone with the work ethic, hardness and skill that this man possesses.

[tom9779]

When clean he would be good at Essendon, and Essendon would be good for Cousins.

Imagine if we got guys like Houli, Stanton, HIslop etc playing with the same grunt, skill and purpose as Ben Cousins?

[grassy1]

Would GOLD COAST get their hands on him 1st?

Would've said NO,but when AWFULL Left the BARN DOOR WIDE OPEN in not making the ban AUSTRALIA WIDE(The DICKHEADS),I wanted him at PERTH in the WAFL.

Good enough for them,.....

[tom9779]

Would GOLD COAST get their hands on him 1st?

Would've said NO,but when AWFULL Left the BARN DOOR WIDE OPEN in not making the ban AUSTRALIA WIDE(The DICKHEADS),I wanted him at PERTH in the WAFL.

Good enough for them,.....

Ben Cousins on the Gold Coast. heh....the home of party drugs. I can see him playing a couple of years up there, then retiring with the white shoe brigade and into a life of crime.

I am sure his mob mates would sort him out with accomodation!

[Madden]

He would do wonders for our young midfield - they would learn so much.

Not an easy decision for obvious reasons - but I voted yes.

[BenDoolan]

He would do wonders for our young midfield - they would learn so much.

Not an easy decision for obvious reasons - but I voted yes.

I believe young players learn more from playing on Ben Cousin types rather than observing them as team mates. There is a tendency to allow a gun player to do all the work while the others sit back and observe/watch/bludge. Our young developing players should have learned a lot from James Hird - but they haven't.