As a player where does Cuz sit?

[indieswan96]

One of the best I've ever seen for sure. (Not that I have seen that many) Would pick him over Judd for sure, Cousins made Judd and Kerr with his amazing work ethic and gut running.

 

[ommot]

Hope the AFL don't go to political with him though, the guy should easily go in to hall of fame. Off-field antics meh.

You're right, and I conceded. Judd's diet is inspiring(do you know what he eats or what eats him or whether he eats rebecca or whether she eats him?)... its all irrelevant.. Everything eats something and I know Id like to be eating Rebecca.

Hahaha

 

[The Dice Man]

The real question is where does Pacemaker's sister sit on Ben Cousins?

 

[Chewy]

Hope the AFL don't go to political with him though, the guy should easily go in to hall of fame. Off-field antics meh

His eligibility for the Hall of Fame is still a few years away. Let's hope that Benny adapts to life after football. This is when many ex-footballers lose the plot and become pissheads or drug addicts. Hopefully Cousins will give the AFL no cause to blackball him as they did with Ablett and Carey.

Although it must be reiterated: Ben Cousins never hurt a fly. All he ever did was burn the candle at both ends and have a good time. Nobody who knows him has ever said a bad word about him. He was a party boy, never an arseh*le. The only reason he attracted headlines for his drug use was because he was a star footballer; not because he f**ked up and did anything bad.

 

[Valve Bounce]

Interested in peoples views on where Cousins sits as a player in the overall sceme of things.

No doubt he has been one of the greatest midfielders of the modern era.

In my view West Coasts greatest player.

Where will he sit in regards to the history of the game as a player?

Top 50, top 100???

Thoughts on this guys!

Benny was a great player, one of the fittest in AFL. I would think of Benny as the zippiest player I've ever seen. I tell everyone that I named my chihuahua after Benny, (his name is Benny), and if you saw Benny run around in the park, you'd understand.

AND Benny was a game breaker , he just got that ball out of the packs, ran away from the opposition then gave a perfect pass to a team mate. What more can anyone ask? I have only fond memories of watching this guy on the footy field. In his position, he was the best, and I wish we had him playing for us under Sheedy - with Jimmy in the team as captain, can anyone wish for better?

 

[The Dice Man]

His eligibility for the Hall of Fame is still a few years away. Let's hope that Benny adapts to life after football. This is when many ex-footballers lose the plot and become pissheads or drug addicts. Hopefully Cousins will give the AFL no cause to blackball him as they did with Ablett and Carey.

Although it must be reiterated: Ben Cousins never hurt a fly. All he ever did was burn the candle at both ends and have a good time. Nobody who knows him has ever said a bad word about him. He was a party boy, never an arseh*le. The only reason he attracted headlines for his drug use was because he was a star footballer; not because he f**ked up and did anything bad.

Your post reeks of excellence.

Have a feeling Cousins will buck the trend of Ablett and Carey and be a model human after retirement.

 

[Gak Attack]

He would easily be up there with Voss/Hird/Buckley for me, whether he came to Richmond or not. I remember him having big possession games consistently when big stats were actually earned. He also has an amazing sense of getting out of bad situations, this shines out now when you watch him in an inexperienced lineup.. how many times they put him in trouble and he finds a way out, when the others just turn it over, easily one of the best decision makers(on the field) to have played in the last 20 years.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Amongst the best the game has ever seen, period

 

[chrismcgrath]

I still remember watching him tear us a new one in his come back match after being suspended by west coast the first time! i think he got 38 or 40 possies and basicly won the game for them!
the vision of him ripping his jacket off and the standing ovation still gives me nightmares as you just knew he was going to have a blinder!!
congrats benny!!

 

[rose jam]

Worse kick of the ball in International Rules ever

 

[kid_a]

Worse kick of the ball in International Rules ever

and the best kick of the ball in australian rules ever

 

[rose jam]

and the best kick of the ball in australian rules ever

big big no

 

[Art Corvelay]

Absolute gun, and it's a shame the drug stuff has sullied his reputation. The bloke was an absolute freak, and I never understood why the media were such big raps for Juddy when Cousins was the better player (imo).

Reckon he's a better leader as well. Judd might have had Captain next to his name in the 2006 grand final but Ben was the real leader at that club - exemplified by him been on the dias with Judd.

Definitely worthy of Hall of Fame induction.

and without Judd's leadership in preparation, looks overweight and has had his worst season since 2002.

LOL - got nothing do with the fact the bloke hasn't been able to train for most of the season due to a continual groin injury?

 

[Byron2008]

I still remember watching him tear us a new one in his come back match after being suspended by west coast the first time! i think he got 38 or 40 possies and basicly won the game for them!
the vision of him ripping his jacket off and the standing ovation still gives me nightmares as you just knew he was going to have a blinder!!
congrats benny!!

How good was that....One of my top memories of the guy.. How someone could come back after 16-17 weeks out and get nearly 40 touches was absolutely astonishing! The entrance too was pretty sweet, tearing the trackies off like a rock star, standing ovation... lol what a gun

Still his effort against Adelaide in the 2006 finals (prelim final), where he single handedley took the game over in the 2nd half is probably is best ever performance for mine.

 

[Off The Couch]

He sits as one of the best footballers of all time and it is for this he should be remembered not what the media wants him remembered for. The guy was able to turn a game, he ran until he could run no more and then tried to do it again, he was an inspirational leader and a 100% club man and an unbelievable footballer - nobody could of asked for anything more from him.

 

[Ochre]

One of the greats

Judd at his very best (pre groin) just shades him imo, but Cuz was at his best for a lot longer

 

[skipjack]

Cousins was a very good player ..but supporters get a tad carried away when one of their long time players retire...they suddenly get better and better.

Judd gets a bad wrap from bitter opposition supporters simply because he plays for Carlton ..see some of the bitter pies supportrs ignorant posts.

.....




So Judd doesn't play to win ??? ...then what was his fist pump whilst sitting on the bench and Carlton kicked a goal to completely seal the game ?

You richmond supporters had Cousins for 2 years at your club ..and in that time he was in the headlines time and time again for all the wrong reason..going into a coma after overdosing on prescription drugs is hardly inspiring .

Sorry guys.

Everyone that follows WC will tell you that Cuz was the team's heart and soul. Their inspiration and the crowd's inspiration too.

You didn't see WC fans tearing up their memberships and buying Carlton ones but they did for Richmond.

 

[The_Eagles]

Judd was fair bit better for the Eagles in their heyday IMO, but Judd now isn't as good as Cousins was. So Cousins might still end up the better player overall

 

[wce4premiership]

As a player cousins has suffered from missing games in his peak (04 and 07) which imo could have seen him rated even higher than he is, not to mention he was underrated from most over east for quite some time in his earlier years.

A lot of people claimed cousins to be "soft" as a player, massive massive myth. Ben cousins never flinched from bumps or stopped running backwards because he knew someone was coming the other way. He countlessly put his body on the line in both open play and stoppage situations. Cousins was more than capable of winning the inside ball and has shown it on many occasions (seemingly overlooked by critics)

Cousins was more for football as a team than he ever has been as an individual, he was good enough to be selfish but was constantly seen blocking, shepharding and making attempts to help out others. He would be the first player to celebrate with a young kid after a goal and the first to be in their ears telling them to trust themselves and take the shot. His leadership was largely unnoticed until around 06. He is every bit the leader of a rucciouto, voss or hird. Leading from the front both on the training track (getting credit from both kerr and judd in interviews as to the reason they have got the best out of themselves)

Cousins was a great kick (lacking penetration though) off both feet, often seen as a poor kick off his left if you care to watch him you'l realise this is simply from his wierd kicking action (magnified when using his left) but it has always been accurate. He's dangerous kicking to leads and around goal off both feet. Reads the play better than most if not any. He was never super fast but always seemed to have the jump. His hands were always clean, free and damaging in disposal. Few better handballs in the game.

Cousins reinvented gut running even after crawford had pushed it to a new level, cousins went further. Going on "power runs" of constant and then repeated sprinting to find space for himself and create an option or get clear of opponents who are left with jelly legs. His ability to push through injury that most others wouldn't play with has been seen time and time again, enhancing his courage and leadership and his need to not let the team down.

Cousins is every bit as good as voss, hird, roo and judd. Most eagles supporters and dennis cometti have all admitted to thinking so among other football personalities. Cousins always had a point to prove and was more driven than any other sports star in his field, much like shane warne. He was always aware, never panicky and always chose good options largely due to his good disposal and confidence in himself to get the job done. He was never a big tackle breaker, more a tackle avoider with great use of baulks and sidesteps.

In summary cousins is: courageous, a good user, a great leader, a great footy brain and an amazing player to watch.

top 50 is a given, he'd be pushing top 10

 

[Blues_Man]

Clearly being an Environmental Ambassador hasnt inspired the kids either.

I shall await with baited breath the release of the Swine's doco revealing exactly how he earned his extra dollars and tips for young men on how to eye gouge, win friends and get away with it.

While you wait for your team to actually win a game or two ?

Judd is head and shoulders above a drug addict.

 

[Blues_Man]

You didn't see WC fans tearing up their memberships and buying Carlton ones but they did for Richmond.

Say what ?? have you got a source for this outlandish statement ..or just making it up ?

Who in their right mind would tear their membership up and follow Richmond ??

Maybe a couple of 15 yr old girls may do that kind of thing ..but not real football supporters .

 

[skipjack]

Say what ?? have you got a source for this outlandish statement ..or just making it up ?

Who in their right mind would tear their membership up and follow Richmond ??

Maybe a couple of 15 yr old girls may do that kind of thing ..but not real football supporters .

Not sure if you lived in WA at the time of the departure of Cousins and Judd, but I did. I'm telling you there was a far greater fallout out from Cousins. There were fans either switching clubs or losing interest in the footy altogether.

I'm not defending it. I'm just telling you how it was. It was the Ben Cousins Football Club for a while there.

Only last weekend I had two of my (West Coast) friends over here on holiday go to the footy - which game? Richmond vs Carlton, in their words, "To see Cuz again."

 

[Pj.Rj.Hj]

While you wait for your team to actually win a game or two ?

Judd is head and shoulders above a drug addict.

Mate, don't embarrass yourself.

Take it from any West Coast fan. Cousins was a far better green horn captain when he took over from Guy McKenna then Judd was when he became captain. It's not an insult to Judd, Cousins was just a rare breed of leader. Guns like Peter Matera or Greg Williams weren't seen as leader types yet it hasn't hurt their reputations. West Coast fans would have told you this before Judd bailed so don't put it down to West Coast bitterness.

I really love Peter Matera but Cuz probably is the best ever Eagle, though obviously less spectacular than Roo.

It really think it is time to move on from the Hird, Voss, Buckley thing. There were great midfielders before them and will be after them. It seems as that term has been forever burnt into AFL lore when it's really only a 10 year old term making refference to the leaders of 2 onfield power clubs of the early 2000's and throw in the best mid from Victoria's largest club. Those guys were legends (particualy Hird) but this pedestal perception is getting in the way of reality. Ricciuto, Harvey, Crawford, Cousins and maybe Mcleod and Aker were all at that level and Black is still playing. One may favour Voss over Black or Aker because of his leadership credentials but that is the same at West Coast with Cousins and Judd but Judd and Gary Ablett Jr will belong to this group of modern midfield greats when they retire.

 

[Pusswah]

I rate Ben Cousins as Shane Crawford's equal

...............

Both were revered by their coaches and teammates and both were under-appreciated outside their own clubs

Not many people under appreciate Ben Cousins' footballing achievements.

Up there with Voss, Hird and Buckley. Well ahead of Harvey (since when is Boomer held in quite that esteem?).

 

[wedgetail]

Everyone that follows WC will tell you that Cuz was the team's heart and soul.

This.

Its not Cousins gut running or his evasiveness or his silky disposal that sets him apart from the pack, its his leadership. The guy is a (very rare) natural born leader of men. His teammates would have lined up to take a bullet for him, and the levels of commitment he drags out of his teammates both at training and on the park is something that money cant buy.

I solely attribute our mid 00's success period to Cousins and the inspiration he bought to the club rubbing off on the playing group.


Good on ya Benny. See you in a couple of years for a repeat dose, hopefully.