Ben Cousins opened up about his prison experience in a rare interview on Wednesday.
The Brownlow medalist and former West Coast great 45 was jailed on six separate occasions over 13 years.
Cousins appeared on Melbourne breakfast show Fifi, Fev & Nick and spoke openly about how he was treated by his fellow prisoners.
“There was a little bit of everything, really. You know, if you haven’t been there before, it’s one of those things where you don’t really know what to expect,” she revealed.
Referring to an incident in which he was attacked by another inmate, he added: “At some point, that will probably find you, no matter who you are… but you meet people from all walks of life, but the novelty wears off quite a bit.” . fast.’
Ben Cousins spoke candidly about his prison experience in a rare interview on Wednesday.
“But you make the most of a difficult situation and you find a way.”
Ben won the Brownlow Medal in 2005 and captained the West Coast Eagles from 2001 to 2005, achieving the club’s best and fairest awards in four of those seasons.
He played 238 games and scored 205 goals for the West Coast Eagles, winning the club’s premiership in 2006.
His public battles began in 2007, when rumors emerged about his drug use amid incidents such as abandoning his car to evade police and being found asleep outside a casino.
The Brownlow medalist and six-time All Australian, 45, was jailed on six separate occasions over 13 years.
Ben appeared on Melbourne breakfast show Fifi, Fev & Nick and spoke openly about how his fellow prisoners treated him.
Despite rehabilitation efforts, including stints in expensive American rehab facilities, his struggles persisted and culminated in multiple arrests and legal problems.
Cousins continued to play professional football, even after being suspended from the AFL in 2007. He joined Richmond in 2009, but retired after two seasons.
Cousins’ personal life was also marked by turbulence, with strained relationships and legal problems involving his ex-partner and their children.
“There was a little bit of everything, really. You know, if you haven’t been there before, it’s one of those things where you don’t really know what to expect,” she revealed.
Cousins has begun to rebuild his life of late and now works at Channel 7 as a sports newscaster in Perth three times a week.
He also joined a Perth radio breakfast team on Mix94.5.
Ben will debut on Seven’s hit show Dancing With the Stars later this year.
He also recently joined WAFL club Perth Demons to mentor the team’s under-19 team part-time.
He has also volunteered at various events in and around Perth with community group KALT Collective, which helps disadvantaged young people, addicts and reformed offenders.
Cousins has begun to rebuild his life of late and now works at Channel 7 as a sports newscaster in Perth three times a week.