Home Sports Overcome with Emotion: Ben Cousins Opens Up About Concussion Memory Loss, Including His Mate’s Death and West Coast Dismissal

Overcome with Emotion: Ben Cousins Opens Up About Concussion Memory Loss, Including His Mate’s Death and West Coast Dismissal

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Ben Cousins has shared a startling revelation about a concussion he suffered during his inaugural season with Richmond, stating it erased his memory of joining the club and led to a series of confounding experiences. When questioned about the oddest injury he encountered in his career, Cousins highlighted the concussion, expressing uncertainty about how it transpired, but confirming it wiped out years of his recollections. This included memories of his exit from West Coast Eagles and the loss of friend Chris Mainwaring.

The 2005 Brownlow Medallist received a one-year suspension from AFL following a drug possession arrest in 2007, after which he was released from the Eagles and signed by Richmond a year later. Notably, he was completely unaware of these developments due to the concussion he endured during a pre-season match shortly after joining Richmond.

In an interview with Mix 94.5 in Perth, Cousins recounted, “I had a concussion. This happened not long after I joined Richmond. It was one of the first games I played. I came off halfway through the first quarter.” He described having no recollection of being hit or knocked down, and sat on the bench with no memories of the past few years, likening himself to a goldfish that forgets a conversation every 30 seconds. Each time he inquired about why he was with Richmond or not playing for West Coast, he was met with the bewildering news that he had actually been “picked up over the summer.”

Cousins expressed the surreal nature of his experience, noting that even after the game, attempts to piece together the previous years left him confused. He recalled people attempting to update him on significant events, including his dismissal from West Coast and going to rehab, to which he reacted with disbelief, having no memory whatsoever. The news of Mainwaring’s death struck him especially hard, leaving him in tears as it felt like he was hearing it for the very first time.

Mainwaring, who had a notable career with the West Coast Eagles, tragically passed away from a drug overdose in 2007. Cousins’ narrative reveals not only the physical toll of concussion but also highlights its profound psychological impact, keeping him tethered to a past he could not recollect.

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