Ben Cousins’ first game of football in a decade sent a lightning bolt of interest and energy through Metro Football League team Queens Park Bulldogs on the weekend.
The 42-year-old made his debut for the Perth-based team after an ankle setback late in the pre-season, kicking a goal in what was a 40-point victory over Koongamia.
Cousins had not played a competitive football game since retiring while with Richmond in 2010.
Queens Park president Ross White confirmed the Brownlow Medallist has committed to play out the season with the side.
“He’s keen to play the season out. I heard him say earlier in the pre-season, I’m sure we’ll get 10 or 12 games out of him,” White told SEN WA’s Gilly and Goss.
White explained Cousins’ interest in playing with the team came about through a relationship with the club’s coach.
“Our league coach had met Ben through family connections and that all came out of Ben’s last jail stint,” he said.
“Ben expressed an interest before Christmas about wanting to have a bit of a kick this year and he said he would come down and have a kick with us.
“Pre-season started late January and he was one of the first on the track on that first night and has been involved ever since. He chose us, we didn’t choose him.”
The presence of the premiership Eagle was enormous for the club on the weekend, with White suggesting there may have been 1,000 people in attendance.
“We normally get 150 on a Sunday afternoon and there was probably over 1,000 there, so there was a lot of interest in the whole thing,” he said.
“90 per cent of our players are indigenous, at times people in the past have not really been interested in us, and we struggle with different issues and trying to get support and so Ben coming along this year has generated a lot of interest over the last few months.
“Canteen sales were massive, to have that gigantic crowd, it was like chalk and cheese.”
Cousins was found guilty of stalking his ex-partner in October of last year and was given a prison sentence.
He walked free in December and SEN reporter Tim Gossage believes Cousins is currently in a very good headspace.
“Everyone who has seen Ben in recent times, and I know he was with people on Saturday morning at a local footy game, they’ve never seen him in better condition both mentally and physically. He is really in good shape,” Gossage said.
Ben Cousins kicks a goal for Queens Park FC@FootyRhino @7NewsPerth @adrianbarich @WestCoastEagles pic.twitter.com/SzgtNG3wc9
— Neil Spence (@neilcspence) May 16, 2021