Pies Host Cousins For Chat
The Age
Saturday April 19, 2008
FALLEN West Coast star Ben Cousins visited his former coach Mick Malthouse at the Lexus Centre yesterday, but the Collingwood coach said the meeting should not be taken as an indication that the Magpies were trying to recruit the troubled former captain.
Malthouse said he hopes Cousins - who has admitted to battling drug addiction - can resurrect his playing career after he serves his one-year ban for bringing the game into disrepute, but gave no indication that it will be at the Magpies."Ben's here at the moment," Malthouse said."I'm seeing Ben today just to have a chat, but that's as far as that goes and that is no indicator whatsoever that Collingwood will be recruiting Ben Cousins."He's got his year to serve. I hope he does get back into football." Cousins was being filmed by a documentary crew, which followed him into the Lexus Centre. If the Magpies wished to add Cousins to their VFL team - which would have to be cleared by the VFL administration - he could not be added until June, when there is a window for VFL teams to bolster their squads. Collingwood is not believed to have seriously discussed Cousins even as a VFL option.Malthouse added there was "little if any truth whatsoever" in suggestions that Collingwood was chasing out-of-contract Brisbane Lions forward, Jonathan Brown, whom the Magpies sought to recruit in 2005."Since I've come to Collingwood, one thing that has been very evident is all the players coming out of contract are linked to Collingwood," Malthouse said.Malthouse, who coached Cousins for four seasons at the Eagles, did not respond to questions on Cousins' recovery from drug-addiction, instead steering back to tonight's match against North Melbourne at the MCG.After losing to Carlton by 23 points last week, Malthouse said he expected improved performances from all players against the Kangaroos."We (came) to the conclusion that nine players at Carlton would have been ahead of our first player."Not because we weren't trying, not because of any other reason than we were beaten by those players."It's very difficult to win a game of footy when you can't get key players playing good footy."We've made changes to the side - that is no reflection to the players that are out of the side - because quite frankly we just didn't have enough good players to win on the day," he said. The Magpies did not lose two matches in a row last season - the last time they lost consecutive matches was in rounds 18 and 19 2006 - and Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley is wary of playing Collingwood off a loss. "They will be ready to go. It will be a pretty hot start I would imagine, but our boys are up for the challenge," Laidley said.Collingwood regains tough midfielder Brodie Holland, who has had limited opportunities since serving a six-match suspension after the 2006 elimination final, and then suffering a serious Achilles injury.Malthouse said Holland would retain his aggression, while playing "hopefully smarter".Meanwhile, Malthouse said Collingwood skipper Scott Burns would be fit to play in Friday's Anzac Day clash against Essendon. Burns will not play tonight and missed last week's clash due to a calf injury.In other selection news, the Eagles have selected senior players Chad Fletcher, David Wirrpanda and Andrew Embley to take on Port Adelaide tomorrow. Chad Jones also comes in to replace Ashley Hansen (hamstring), Brent Staker (concussion), Scott Selwood and Jamie McNamara.Port Adelaide has dropped 2006 Rising Star winner Danyle Pearce, who is an emergency, and will also be without Matt Thomas and Paul Stewart (foot). Nathan Krakouer, Tom Logan and Adam Thomson replace the three.Melbourne's James Frawley comes in for Brad Miller, who will miss due to suspension, while opponent Carlton is unchanged.Richmond takes an unchanged team into its match with the Western Bulldogs, who are also unchanged.
© 2008 The Age
