Ben Cousins will refuse AFL’s offer to pay for rehab: friends

Troubled former AFL player Ben Cousins will reportedly turn down AFL chief Gillon McLachlan’s offer to fund his drug rehabilitation, according to his friends.

Cousins’ friends told the Herald Sun he was “not ready” to begin treatment for his drug habit, in response to yesterday’s reports that Mr McLachlan had made an unprecedented offer to bankroll “any programs” to help him.

Read more:  AFL chief reportedly offers to fund Ben Cousins’ drug rehabilitation

“He’s not capable of going to rehab at this stage. If you’re so damaged mentally from the drug use, it won’t work,” an anonymous friend told the newspaper.

“He’ll smash through a glass door to get stuff, it’s just shocking.

“Ben’s just at the top of the pyramid, underneath there’s a lot of people suffering. The mother of his kids deserve the attention, they will be getting the attention, not him.”

The 2005 Brownlow Medallist and 2006 West Coast premiership player was on Thursday given a $600 fine and released on bail for breaching a violence restraining order brought by his former partner Maylea Tinecheff.

As he was leaving the court, Cousins told the waiting media pack he considered himself to be "really lucky" to be granted bail, after earlier admitting he expected to spend Christmas in jail.