Saints, Lions Will Consult Sponsors If Cousins Cleared To Play

The Age

Monday November 17, 2008

By JAKE NIALL

IN THE event that Ben Cousins is given permission to resume his AFL career, StKilda and the Brisbane Lions have confirmed that they will consult their major sponsors before deciding whether to draft the fallen Brownlow medallist.

The AFL Commission begins a two-day meeting in Sydney today, with the decision on Cousins, who is applying to be re-registered as a player, to be announced tomorrow.

The AFL's verdict will be heavily influenced by the medical report completed by the league's medical officers, which will include detailed information about Cousins' rehabilitation and the testing he has undergone to satisfy the AFL that he is "clean" and no longer engaged in drug abuse.

The commission also is expected to receive a written submission from Cousins, who will not attend the meeting.

Cousins is understood to have already passed the AFL's "hair test", in which a sample of his hair was tested for any evidence of drugs.

It is not yet determined whether Cousins would nominate for the national draft, on November 29, or the subsequent pre-season draft for delisted and uncontracted players.

Should the Lions wish to draft him, they would appear to be in a better position than St Kilda, having earlier choices in each round and also having the earlier pick in the pre-season draft, which has been considered the more likely destination for Cousins.

St Kilda president Greg Westaway said the Saints would consult their sponsors if Cousins was cleared to play and the Saints, who are still completing "due diligence," decided they wanted him.

"It definitely would get done in the process," Westaway said of discussing Cousins with club sponsors. "We haven't got to the point where we're in a position to say yea or nay. We just haven't arrived there yet."

Westaway said the club board had authorised the football department to continue the due diligence, "but remember, we've got to get ratification from the AFL first. It's got to go through the process - there's no point jumping hurdles before we get to them."

Brisbane chairman Tony Kelly said the Lions would consult "key stakeholders", including sponsors, if they went further in pursuing Cousins.

"At some stage, if need be, we would talk to all key stakeholders. Of course key stakeholders would be consulted."

While the Saints and Lions have been dealing with the Cousins issue mainly at football department level, it is the boards of both clubs - such as Collingwood, which finally chose not to pursue Cousins - that will have the final say on whether he can be drafted.

Kelly emphasised that there was little point discussing Cousins until the AFL cleared him to play.

"Until he's cleared by the AFL commission ... if we're going to have a chat with him, that would be the trigger point."

North Melbourne last night confirmed that it would not be drafting Cousins. "We are not interested," said chief executive Eugene Arocca.

Sponsors have emerged as a key consideration for any club interested in Cousins. Sponsor concern was understood to have been a factor in Collingwood's decision to quit the race for the former Eagles skipper.

© 2008 The Age

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