Cousins in Sydney clinic
DISGRACED AFL star Ben Cousins checked into the exclusive Sydney Clinic for 48 hours of drug rehab as he passed through the city, sources say.
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DISGRACED West Coast Eagle Ben Cousins checked into the exclusive Sydney Clinic for 48 hours of drug rehab as he passed through the city on his way home to Perth, The Daily Telegraph has been told.
The clinic's other celebrity clients have included the late stockbroker Rene Rivkin, Antonia Kidman's ex-husband Angus Hawley and former Supreme Court judge Jeff Shaw.
Experts said that while at the elite clinic near the beach at Bronte, Cousins, 29, would have counselling to work out the factors that contributed to his drug addiction.
"They would probably be talking things through, trying to get into a daily routine," said James Pitts, the head of Odyssey House, Australia's largest drug and alcohol rehab centre.
He said the real challenge will be when Cousins returns to Perth and his old haunts and friends - people and places that could trigger a relapse.
"The counsellor will talk to the person about the way they view the world," said Mr Pitts.
"One of the things the clinic would do is to establish some kind of aftercare programme and give him a list of strategies he needs to maintain his sobriety."
The Sydney Clinic costs about $500 a day.
"We won't speak about our patients. There is no comment," said a spokeswoman.
Cousins was on his way back from two days at The Summit Medical Centre in Malibu, where he spent nearly a month earlier this year for his addiction to the drug ice.
A source close to Cousins claims that he was intending to stay at the Malibu clinic for another three weeks, but was given the all-clear by staff after two-days.
The former Eagles captain flew into Sydney on Wednesday with his father and manager Bryan Cousins and is due to leave for Perth today
"He is in much better shape than he was on his last visit there and he was told that he should be proud," the source said.
Cousins is said to be in good spirits and has told family and friends that his mind and body are willing and he is as determined as ever to continue his AFL career.
In Perth, he will continue to train on his own as he was doing prior to his arrest a fortnight ago on drugs charges, one of which was later dropped.
The charges led to him being sacked by the Eagles.
He was seen doing an intense 45-minute session in a Perth park just four days before his arrest.
The Brownlow medallist will prepare for the showdown with the AFL on November 19 to defend a charge of bringing the game into disrepute.
Cousins, who has been deregistered by the AFL, wants to nominate for the pre-season draft.
Coach of the Fremantle Dockers, Mark Harvey, did not rule out drafting Cousins a fortnight ago but the Dockers board is understood to be against it.
Any club that shows interest in Cousins is likely to draw the ire of the AFL.