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AFL great Ben Cousins takes on coaching role with WAFL club Perth

The Brownlow Medal winner has made a significant career move.

Published by
Mitch Keating

West Coast Eagles great Ben Cousins is understood to have taken on a part-time coaching role with WAFL club Perth.

Cousins, who played 270 games in the AFL with West Coast and Richmond between 1996-2010, has worked to get his life back on track after well-documented indiscretions that heavily impacted his AFL career and personal life.

The 2005 Brownlow Medal winner has most recently begun working with 7 News Perth as he looks to return to the sporting landscape, with a new role in the WAFL revealed.

According to The West Australian, Cousins has linked up with former West Coast midfielder, recently appointed Perth president and 7 News colleague Adrian Barich at the Demons.

It is understood that Cousins has begun assisting Perth senior coach Peter German across the course of the club's pre-season training in 2022, with the 44-year-old expected to continue his role in the new year.

German, who joined the Demons this off-season, will have Cousins' AFL premiership experience and ball-winning nous to rely on ahead of the 2023 season.

Cousins' father Bryan played 240 games for Perth across an 18-year period, which also included his 67-game spell with Geelong.

Cousins senior recently opened up on his son's health and welfare in an honest interview that brought the 68-year-old to tears.

He detailed the toughest years for Ben and his family, with Bryan and Ben at times using his WA farm as a "sanctuary".

"Yes, [Ben] has worked hard and it's been a really tough journey for him," he told Ladbrokes.

"But, whenever I see a person that is suffering from addiction, I offer them support, and you talk to them [about] how proud people would be of them recovering, because it's extremely tough, yeah."

Perth finished ninth in the WAFL seniors last season, managing three wins from their 18 matches.

Cousins' former teammate and fellow West Coast Brownlow Medal winner Matt Priddis has also linked up with the Demons' coaching cohort for 2023.

Published by
Mitch Keating