THERE isn't a 'time limit' on Ben Cousins' return to football, according to AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou.

Cousins revealed on Thursday he will register with VFL club Port Melbourne before Monday's deadline, but wasn't sure he would play football this season, and also couldn't confirm he wanted to make an AFL comeback.

The former West Coast Eagle, who is battling drug addiction, was deregistered for 12 months by the AFL in November last year, and Demetriou said the 2005 Brownlow Medallist shouldn't rush any decision on his future, while also welcoming his affiliation with Port Melbourne.

“He’s going through a very lengthy process of rehabilitation. It’s not easy. I think he’s making a real go of it and he should be commended for that and he’ll have to make up his (own) mind (on a comeback)," Demetriou said on Friday afternoon.

"I don’t think anyone should force him or put a time limit on him making up his mind. He’ll go through that process. He knows, I’m sure, within himself, what he’s capable of. He’s got to make up his mind.”

The AFL boss insisted he would not set down conditions or guidelines for the former Eagle to meet in order to nominate for an AFL draft.

“He’s got to decide whether he wants to play football. That’s the first thing. The rest isn’t relevant at the moment," he said.

"I think in his own mind he must decide and be convinced in his own heart that he wants to play the game again.

"The rest is speculation. If he decided that he was of the mind of playing football, of course he’d be medically assessed but, again I repeat, he is yet to make up his mind.”

However Demetriou believes that training with Port Melbourne is a positive step in his rehabilitation process.

“He’s got to check on how his body’s traveling with the training and the like. He looked pretty fit, but training and playing is another thing," he said.

"There’s a process for him to go through. He’s got to make up his mind what he wants to do and, I think from a perspective of helping him make up his mind, if he can train with Port Melbourne that’s a good thing.”