Former AFL star Ben Cousins has laced up the boots for the first time in over a decade, making a local football appearance in Perth's Metro Football League.
The 42-year-old ran out for the Queens Park Bulldogs, the competition's reigning premiers, kicking a goal on debut while setting up another for a teammate.
Cousins started his team's 40-point win on the half-forward flank and appeared to be in terrific shape for an individual who has lived a troubled existence since his AFL retirement back in 2010.
The 2005 Brownlow Medallist's appearance attracted significant fanfare, with the Queens Park club president, Ross White, indicating that the crowd in attendance was the largest he'd seen in a long time.
"He cares about people and always gives his time just to talk and have photos," White told The West Australian.
"The sort of old Ben who cared about supporters is still that – and now it's our supporters."
Cousins is understood to have been training with the team a couple of times a week and is expecting to play between six and ten matches.
A six-time All-Australian, Cousins' fall from grace has been one of the AFL's saddest stories, with the former West Coast captain fighting drug addictions and being in and out of jail since his retirement.
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