Several hundred will be able to say: ‘I was watching Ben Cousins train with Richmond for the first time’. And despite the presence of several security guards on each entrance to the massive Richmond social club, almost as many media were gathered upstairs for Cousins’ first media conference in yellow and black and his first uncontrolled media access for well over a year.
It took less than three minutes for the non-sport journalists to hijack the event and turn it into an inquisition about Cousins’ associates in Perth, leading this line from Ricky Nixon, Cousins’ manager: “Have you actually got a footy question? Because you’re just being a knob at the moment.”
Throughout, Cousins was everything the club would have wanted him to be. He was considered when he spoke, he appeared humble, he offered no foolish guarantees.
He spoke about his addiction – although he usually remembered to call it ‘my affliction’ – and talked about his work with other addicts.
He admitted that life had given him a slap, and that those who fly lowest fly longest, and he was taking those lessons on board. He is hopeful of becoming a better person.
He had several answers that he had obviously memorised, but the overall feel was of openness and honesty.
Coming to Melbourne was a good thing – Cousins loves Perth, but needed a change – but had not become too despondent when clubs were rejecting him in recent weeks.
He wouldn’t say how long he’d been clean, but he did say his fitness level hadn’t changed from when he was using.
He said he was no walk-up start to play, given that his teammates had already done a couple of months of pre-season, and that his success would not be measured in stats, but in simply training and playing.
Side benefits of the decision to take Cousins are becoming apparent for the Tigers. Membership has spiked, while sponsor Dick Smith – whose logo is on the front of the Richmond jumper - has received publicity they could never have dreamed of when they signed up.
All-in-all, a very positive start to the relationship that Tigers fans hope will both last and be fruitful.
