AFL troublemaker Ben Cousins ​​reveals his surprising new TV gig

1996 – Made his AFL debut with West Coast and was named the league’s rising star

2001 – Named co-captain of the West Coast club at 23. Became sole captain the following year

2002 – Breaks his arm falling down a flight of stairs at a nightclub months after hitting teammate Daniel Kerr

2005 – (May) is questioned by police about his association with underworld identities

– (September) Wins Brownlow Medal as AFL’s Best and Fairest Player

2006 – (February) Swim across a Perth river to escape a drunken bus

– (September) Wins AFL Premiership with Eagles

– (December) Arrested after fainting outside Melbourne’s Crown Casino and spent four hours in police custody

2007 – (March) Suspended by West Coast after missing training session

– (April) Visits a rehab facility in Malibu, California

– (October) It was revealed he visited Eagles legend Chris Mainwaring twice on the night he died of a drug overdose

– (October) Arrested and charged with drug offenses which are later dropped

– (November) Eventually sacked by West Coast and banned from the AFL for a year

2008 – AFL re-registers Cousins ​​and he is signed by Richmond

2010 – Retired from the AFL and published an autobiography and a documentary

Cousins ​​was charged with drug possession and refusing a drug test in 2007, but the charges were later dropped

2015 – Arrested three times before leading police on a low-speed car chase

2016 – (June) Spotted behaving erratically and directing traffic on a highway

– (October) In and out of court for drug offenses and violations of a restraining order made by his ex-partner

2018 – (January) Released from prison on parole just 10 months into his sentence

Takes on a community support role with the West Coast Eagles – a requirement of his parole conditions

– (May) Reports emerge that he has not been seen at the club for a month

Club confirm Cousins ​​told officials in April he no longer wanted the job

– (August) Arrested and charged with drug possession and breach of restraining order

2019 – (February) $1,750 fine for possessing methamphetamine and hiding it in his anus in prison

(March) Plead not guilty to 14 offenses, including breach of domestic violence restraining order and one count of aggravated stalking and threatening to injure, endanger or harm

(April) Arrested in Perth and released from prison on bail after eight months inside.

2020 – (March) Revealing documentary Coming Clean airs – Cousins ​​talks about his meth addiction and time behind bars

(April) Arrested in Perth after being caught with 2.5 grams of methamphetamine while sleeping next to his car

He is remanded in custody after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine and facing a $1,500 fine.

He is also accused of aggravated stalking of his ex-partner, Maylea Tinecheff

(October) Pleads not guilty to aggravated criminal harassment and 20 counts of breaching a domestic violence restraining order regarding his ex-partner

(November) Found guilty of harassing his ex-partner but acquitted by a Perth court of breaching a restraining order. Sentenced to seven months in prison, with effect backdated to April

He was released from Hakea prison at the end of November.

2021 – Return to the football pitch playing for the Queens Park Bulldogs in the Perth Metro Football League