I know links are preferred, but it didn't work, so here's the article...
We were right: Magpies
Collingwood have hailed Richmond's recruitment of Ben Cousins as validation of their stance against the Tigers' bid for a "free kick".
Richmond took Cousins with the as their No.6 pick in the pre-season draft after the AFL refused their request to have the injured Graham Polak placed on their rookie list, which would have gained them a second selection.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire was one of several club chiefs to object to Richmond's attempt to secure an extra selection.
"It justified our position last week," McGuire said on Tuesday.
"In the end the Richmond Football Club will be able to put Graham Polak onto a long-term injury list, they'll be able to put a rookie onto their list.
"Ultimately the mechanism was in place for them to recruit whichever player they desired and as it turned out at 10 o'clock this morning that was Ben Cousins.
"I think that without anyone getting a free kick ... the process was exactly in place and played itself out without anyone getting an unfair advantage."
He applauded the AFL for refusing to be swayed by the intense support for Richmond's unorthodox attempt to recruit Cousins.
"This was always going to be a hard situation for everyone involved and was probably made a bit harder for a lot of people, particularly the AFL, who were painted as some bad guys yesterday," he said.
"The AFL should be congratulated for putting in place a mechanism that has allowed Ben Cousins to a second chance, or a third chance or a fourth chance or whatever chance it is in his football career."
Collingwood toyed with the idea of selecting Cousins in the national draft but rejected the notion after a lengthy period of due diligence.
But McGuire said he had no complaint with the way Richmond selected Cousins.
"Now that he has found a football club I think it's incumbent on the whole football community to get behind Ben and wish Richmond all the best in their endeavours going forward," he said.
"He is a recovering drug addict, we all know the situation and now we wish Ben all the best and that's all we can say until we play them of course and then we'll be belting into him just like any other Richmond player."
AAP
This butt monkey just doesn't give up.
It's not about you anymore Nedward, back to yer scumhole.
We were right: Magpies
Collingwood have hailed Richmond's recruitment of Ben Cousins as validation of their stance against the Tigers' bid for a "free kick".
Richmond took Cousins with the as their No.6 pick in the pre-season draft after the AFL refused their request to have the injured Graham Polak placed on their rookie list, which would have gained them a second selection.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire was one of several club chiefs to object to Richmond's attempt to secure an extra selection.
"It justified our position last week," McGuire said on Tuesday.
"In the end the Richmond Football Club will be able to put Graham Polak onto a long-term injury list, they'll be able to put a rookie onto their list.
"Ultimately the mechanism was in place for them to recruit whichever player they desired and as it turned out at 10 o'clock this morning that was Ben Cousins.
"I think that without anyone getting a free kick ... the process was exactly in place and played itself out without anyone getting an unfair advantage."
He applauded the AFL for refusing to be swayed by the intense support for Richmond's unorthodox attempt to recruit Cousins.
"This was always going to be a hard situation for everyone involved and was probably made a bit harder for a lot of people, particularly the AFL, who were painted as some bad guys yesterday," he said.
"The AFL should be congratulated for putting in place a mechanism that has allowed Ben Cousins to a second chance, or a third chance or a fourth chance or whatever chance it is in his football career."
Collingwood toyed with the idea of selecting Cousins in the national draft but rejected the notion after a lengthy period of due diligence.
But McGuire said he had no complaint with the way Richmond selected Cousins.
"Now that he has found a football club I think it's incumbent on the whole football community to get behind Ben and wish Richmond all the best in their endeavours going forward," he said.
"He is a recovering drug addict, we all know the situation and now we wish Ben all the best and that's all we can say until we play them of course and then we'll be belting into him just like any other Richmond player."
AAP
This butt monkey just doesn't give up.
It's not about you anymore Nedward, back to yer scumhole.
