He’s the former AFL star who has turned his life around after overcoming an addiction to meth.
And Ben Cousins looked happy and healthy as he touched down at Sydney Airport on Saturday.
The footy legend, 45, was spotted making his way through the arrivals terminal, looking relaxed in a black T-shirt, printed shorts and a matching baseball cap.
He completed his look with black socks and sneakers, and carried two duffel bags of carry-on luggage.
At times, the ex-athlete happily posed for photos and stopped for a conversation with several excited fans.
AFL legend Ben Cousins, 45, (pictured) looked happy and healthy as he touched down at Sydney Airport on Saturday
Ben won the Brownlow Medal in 2005 and captained the West Coast Eagles from 2001 to 2005, securing the club’s best and fairest awards four out of those season.
He played 238 games and booted 205 goals for the West Coast Eagles, where he won a premiership with the club in 2006.
His dramatic fall from grace was well documented from 2007 as he publicly battled a drug addiction and coped with his failed relationship with Maylea Tinecheff.
The footy legend was spotted making his way through the arrivals terminal, looking relaxed in a black T-shirt, printed shorts and a matching baseball cap
At times, the ex-athlete happily posed for photos and stopped for a conversation with several excited fans
He was later sacked and copped a one year ban from the AFL for repeated infringements.
In 2021, Susan Backshell, who has acted as a mentor for Cousins since his last stint on jail, told Daily Mail Australia that he remains solely focused on his kids.
Sitting in a cold, cramped jail cell for the sixth time in 13 years, Cousins decided enough was enough after seven months behind bars in 2020.
Ben won the Brownlow Medal in 2005 and captained the West Coast Eagles from 2001 to 2005, securing the club’s best and fairest awards four out of those season
His dramatic fall from grace was well documented from 2007 as he publicly battled a drug addiction and coped with his failed relationship with Maylea Tinecheff
He told her he wanted to make amends and clean up his life and Backshell gave him an ultimatum: ‘Give it his all, or forget it entirely’.
Since Cousins was released from custody back in December 2020, Backshell said she’s never once questioned his commitment to sobriety and bettering his community.
Backshell also said Cousins was always looking for new ways to bond with his kids.
‘His kids are everything to him, he truly is an amazing dad. He’s phenomenal,’ Backshell said.
‘They adore him. They’re very sporty too, like him. They’re like little mini-me’s. They’ve got his determination. I see a lot of him in them.’
He was later sacked and copped a one year ban from the AFL for repeated infringements
In 2021, Susan Backshell, who has acted as a mentor for Cousins since his last stint on jail, told Daily Mail Australia that he remains solely focused on his kids
