“A moment that left everyone in tears…”: Ben Cousins opens up about his personal health bɑttle on live radio — as the AFL community left devɑstɑted after hearing the full HEARTBREAKING story…
AFL fans have reacted with shock after Ben Cousins revealed the devastating effects of a concussion he suffered late in his career that made him forget the death of his good mate and the fact he was sacked by West Coast.
Speaking on Mix 94.5 in Perth on Tuesday, the former Brownlow Medallist opened up on the effects of concussion and revealed a particularly bad one he suffered late in his career while playing for Richmond.
Cousins won a premiership and Brownlow Medal while playing for West Coast, and captained his beloved Eagles.
But he was sacked by the club for off-field indiscretions and ended up at Richmond in 2009.
He played 32 games for the Tigers before retiring in 2010.
It was during his two-year stint at Richmond that he copped the worst head knock of his career.
The concussion was so bad that it left Cousins with no memory of the fact he’d been sacked by the Eagles, and he also momentarily forgot about the death of good friend Chris Mainwaring.
Ben Cousins finished his AFL career at Richmond. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
“It was one of the first games I played. It was a pre-season game.
I started the game and I came off halfway through the first quarter,” Cousins said.
“I don’t remember getting hit or knocked at all.
“I sat on the bench and had no memory whatsoever of the previous two or three years and I was like a goldfish.
So every 30 seconds I would have no memory of the conversation I just had. I kept going ‘why am I playing for Richmond? What’s happened’.
“They go ‘you know, we picked you up over the summer’.
‘Why aren’t I playing for West Coast?’.
No memory.
This just kept happening.
It was bizarre.
Even after the game we went over the tape to see if I copped a knock in the vision and there was nothing in the vision where we thought ‘gee it could have happened there’.
It was bizarre.”
Ben Cousins had no memory of Chris Mainwaring’s death
Mainwaring died in 2007 at the age of 41, but Cousins had to be filled in about what had happened.
“Even after the game I was still talking in circles. People were trying to fill me in on the blanks (of the last few years) and they said ‘you know, you’ve been sacked from West Coast, you went to rehab’, I went ‘what?’.
I had no memory of it,” he added.
“Even someone said ‘Chris Mainwaring has passed away’.
That was like being told for the first time.
I was so emotional, I was in tears. I had no memory of it.
It was bizarre.”
Cousins endured a well-publicised battle with drug addiction that ended his time at the Eagles, and saw his life spiral out of control after retirement.
After a stint behind bars, he’s managed to get his life back on track and appears to be on the straight and narrow.
He’s set to play in the reborn EJ Whitten Legends Game at Marvel Stadium later this month, joining fellow greats like Cyril Rioli, Gary Ablett Jr, Luke Hodge and Nick Riewoldt.
“For me, the chance to play alongside Cyril, you know? I’m excited about that,” he said.
The Untold Impact Of AFL’s Silent Epidemic
The raw, emotional nature of Ben Cousins’ radio confession resonated far beyond the walls of the Mix 94.5 studio, striking a deep chord within an Australian Football League community currently grappling with the long-term reality of head trauma.
Hearing a former Brownlow Medallist—a player renowned for his elite elite physical conditioning and relentless work ethic—describe a complete loss of his own personal timeline highlighted the terrifying, invisible nature of severe concussion.
For years, the public conversation surrounding Cousins centered almost exclusively on his off-field personal struggles and high-profile battle with addiction.
Yet, this recent revelation reframes a critical chapter of his career, shedding light on the hidden neurological tolls exacted by decades of elite, contact-heavy sport.
Experts and former players alike have pointed to his story as a stark reminder of why modern AFL protocols surrounding head hits have become so uncompromisingly strict compared to the era in which Cousins played.
A Legacy Transcended By Resilience
Despite the haunting nature of his memory lapses, Cousins’ willingness to speak candidly about his past reflects his remarkable personal recovery.
His ability to look back on those dark, disorienting moments with clarity demonstrates how far he has come since his well-documented personal rock bottom.
Today, he stands as a symbol of perseverance, slowly rebuilding his public image and reconnecting with the sport that defined his youth.
As the EJ Whitten Legends Game approaches at Marvel Stadium, footy fans across the nation are preparing to welcome back one of the most electric midfielders to ever grace the turf.
Sharing the ground with iconic figures like Cyril Rioli, Gary Ablett Jr., and Nick Riewoldt is more than just a nostalgic exhibition; for Cousins, it represents a formal, celebratory return to the footy family.
While the scars of his career—both physical and mental—remain, his journey back into the spotlight serves as a powerful testament to redemption, resilience, and the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of absolute trauma.