Melbourne have confirmed they will take a youngster in the AFL pre-season draft, closing another door on Ben Cousins’ attempted comeback.

The closest Ben Cousins came to the 2008 AFL national draft was his photo on a large banner hanging from the wall, recalling past glories.

Tom Hislop would want to make the most of this AFL second chance. The 20-year-old former Essendon midfielder was the first delisted player named on Saturday in the national draft.

Publicly at least, no AFL club wants Ben Cousins. On the eve of the national draft, the Brisbane Lions issued a short media release to say they had decided against recruiting the 2005 Brownlow Medallist and self-confessed drug addict.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said on Tuesday that being drafted by a club was a “very important” part of Ben Cousins’ rehabilitation.

Ben Cousins’ hopes of an AFL comeback have received a major setback, with St Kilda becoming the latest club to decide against recruiting the fallen star.

Ben Cousins is set to return to AFL football next year, despite saying the drug-testing conditions attached to his comeback are harsh.

Ben Cousins may abandon a planned comeback to AFL football because the drug-testing regime announced on Tuesday by the AFL is too tough, his manager says.

West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett says “the door is shut” on Ben Cousins, despite the impassioned pleas of former Eagles chairman Murray McHenry for the club to re-instate the 238-game AFL veteran.

St Kilda chief executive Archie Fraser says it is no surprise Ben Cousins has tested drug-free, given his resolve to return to the AFL.

The teenager voted Ireland’s best young Gaelic footballer will train with St Kilda later this month as he weighs up a possible move to the AFL.

Former St Kilda great Robert Harvey is confident Carlton can fill the void - both in the pang of not playing and experiencing the ultimate AFL success. Although St Kilda have dominated Carlton since 2002, Harvey has liked what he’s seen of the Blues.

Hawthorn great and four-time AFL premiership-winning coach Leigh Matthews has been named one of Queensland’s seven footballing ‘legends’.

Australia will look to acceleration, rather than aggression, as they try to overhaul Ireland in the International Rules decider. The home side feel it has an advantage in pace, which it wants to exploit in Friday night’s second and deciding Test at the MCG.

The second-biggest sporting arena in Melbourne will undergo another name change, with the venue in the Docklands to be officially known as Etihad Stadium from March next year.

Dramatic audio of an emergency call, aired on Melbourne television tonight, allegedly captures the moment when Ben Cousins sought help after a five-day cocaine binge.

Has any club benefited from the AFL’s socialist draft system more than Carlton? Cheat the salary cap, stuff the list with overpaid ageing stars and suffer years of on-field ineptitude as a result.

The AFL coaching merry-go-round has continued with John Barker quitting his role at St Kilda to link up with premiers Hawthorn and Barry Mitchell leaving his post as coach of the Hawks’ VFL side Boxhill to join Fremantle.

Adelaide is a nice enough town and the Crows play finals regularly, but both were again unpopular in trade week. Recruiting manager Matt Rendell admitted there is a stigma over the city, making it tougher to attract players.

Essendon believe recruit Brent Prismall will be a 10-year player for the AFL club despite the talented midfielder facing a late start at his new home because of a serious knee injury.