AFL great Ben Cousins responds to missing out on AFL Hall of Fame nod: ‘I totally understand their decision’
- Ben Cousins says he ‘completely understands’ decision not to induct him
- Eligible for appointment five years after retiring in 2010
- It is unlikely that Cousins will be inducted into the HOF anytime soon
Ben Cousins has reacted to the news he will not be inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame anytime soon, stating he “fully understands” the committee’s decision.
The West Coast and All Australian premiership winner undoubtedly has the player credentials to take the competition’s top honour, but his well-documented battles with drink, drugs and his criminal past have held him back until now.
That includes a conviction for stalking his ex-partner, which saw him spend seven months in prison in 2020.
Cousins has turned his life around in recent years: he looks healthy, clean and sober, and has landed a new job as a television news presenter in his hometown of Perth.
He is also tipped to appear on Seven’s Dancing with the Stars.
AFL great Ben Cousins says he ‘completely understands’ why he won’t be inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame anytime soon
The West Coast Eagles premiership winner was set to walk into the AFL Hall of Fame but was held back due to his actions off the field
However, these efforts have failed to sway the AFL, with Cousins ruled out of the 2024 inductions and reportedly will not be considered for a number of years to come.
Wednesday morning, Cousins said Mix94.5’s Pete & Kymba for breakfast that he doesn’t expect to be mentioned.
“I never really find myself thinking about this, you know,” he said.
“It’s an honor that it’s hard to come by, and you know…
“There have been so many great players over the years, I wouldn’t envy the task of only fielding a limited number of players each year.
‘I completely understand their decision.
“I’ll be sitting there, like everyone else, looking forward to celebrating who comes in this year.
‘That’s just the way it is.’
Ben Cousins had many tough years during and after his playing career but has cleaned himself up and is a model of health in 2024
Cousins says he’ll watch the Hall of Fame induction no matter what
The inductees are chosen in part based on their character, and the Hall of Fame updated its rules to allow for the removal or suspension of members — a decision sparked by Barry Cable’s civil court conviction for sexual abuse of children.
However, despite recent AFL actions to address violence against women, including a moment of silence and participants linking arms, The Age has reported that even before these events, Cousins was ineligible for induction into the hall of fame.
The process of how the AFL makes these decisions is kept confidential.
It comes after the AFL announced off-field scandals had ruled him out of the Hall of Fame in April.
“I will say it’s a pleasure to see Ben in the form he’s in now, and I’ve seen quite a bit of him in the West,” AFL committee chairman Richard Goyder said at the time.
‘I think [Cousins’ recovery] is fantastic… what I would say with Hall of Fame, and it’s almost my precursor to our committee discussions every year, it’s not about who’s in, it’s about who’s not.
“It’s an incredibly high bar to be a Hall of Famer in the AFL, and it’s even higher to be a Legend, so we’ll look at that in due course.”