That the AFL readmitted Ben Cousins to the fold was no great surprise. That Cousins declared he wants to return, despite the stringent conditions imposed by the league, was even less so.

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.

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.

When master trainer Bart Cummings won his twelfth Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, it was 58 years since he first led in the winner of the race. Cummings was the strapper of Comic Court, trained by his father Jim, and arguably one of the best horses ever to win the Cup.

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.

The AFL is set to make major changes to the start and finish of the NAB Cup, their official pre-season competition.

AFL legend Kevin Sheedy has revealed he considered running for the Essendon board before deciding on a return to Richmond.

AFL heavyweights Collingwood and Carlton are big winners in the 2009 draw featuring three timeslots to be trialled with one eye on the league’s future expansion plans.

Perth’s new stadium has been put in doubt by the new Liberal Premier, Colin Barnett. As part of a deal with the National Party that gave the Liberals the majority, Barnett pledged a quarter of Western Australia’s mining royalties to regional Western Australia.

Sydney coach Paul Roos says there’ll be “no animosity” between the Swans and Ryan O’Keefe who today agreed to play on with the AFL club after failing to organise a trade.

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.

St Kilda are set to take a punt on Ben Cousins, offering the recovering drug addict a football life-line and accompanying off-field support if he is cleared to play again by the AFL.
Read the AFL discussion paper, sent out to all clubs

The Australian and Irish teams will seek to forge closer off-field ties in their efforts to rescue the International Rules series. On-field violence during the 2005 and 2006 series nearly killed off the concept, leading to a postponement last year.
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Grant to jump straight into coaching

Before he is a permanent captain in the AFL, Brent Harvey will lead his country. The four-time All-Australian and four-time best and fairest winner at North Melbourne was the obvious choice to be made skipper of the young 25-man squad for this month’s International Rules series against Ireland.

With all the hubbub about drugs in sport, the AFL is seeking to reverse its current stance of mollycoddling drug abusers, which currently sees players given an astounding three warnings before any form of meaningful penalty is levied, by retrospectively removing the four points a club receives for a home and away victory.

A stagnant AFL trade week has prompted a renewed call from the players’ union for free agency to be introduced. The week-long exchange period produced only six completed deals, five of which occurred before yesterday’s 2pm deadline.
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How the AFL clubs fared in trade week
Prismall a long-term one for Bombers

Federal Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop says she will bring her legal nous to AFL club West Coast after her shock appointment to the Eagles board.

Former Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley says Ben Cousins poses too great a risk to be worth drafting because of his age and personal history.

There is an urgent need for the AFL and the Tasmanian Government to work together and upgrade York Park in Launceston to hold at least 30,000 spectators, regardless of whether it continues to be Hawthorn’s part-time home or Tassie gets its own team.