Former West Coast Coach Mick Malthouse has revealed on SEN that he was shocked when he found out that Ben Cousinsโ drug habit began when he was coach of the Eagles.
Malthouse said he did not once suspect that Cousins was taking illicit drugs during his reign as coach, where he took the Eagles to two Premierships.
โI am probably as naive (to drugs) as anyone because even when Iโve come over here to coach Collingwood and then they said about Ben Cousins I mean I was first of all absolutely shocked, totally shockedโ Malthouse said on SEN on Tuesday morning.
โAnd then when he did his interview and he said I started dabbling in 1996 or 1997 or whenever it was, I was coaching then. I didnโt know that.
โWhy didnโt I know that?
โBut I donโt know if all the players knew that and if they did no one was talking.โ
Malthouse also said he couldnโt understand why players would run the risk of taking either illicit or performance enhancing drugs.
โWeโre naรฏve if we think they donโt take drugs through the off-seasonโฆbut I think both are madness, both are absolute madness and I might be old hat but Iโm saying that theyโre bloody stupid,โ Malthouse said.
The AFL is currently reviewing its illicit drugs policy.
