Cousins given green light to resume training
West Coast midfielder Ben Cousins will resume training next week after the troubled star and Eagles chief executive Trevor Nisbett met with the AFL on Friday.
Cousins was suspended indefinitely by the Eagles in March because of a substance abuse problem, but has been given the green light to return to the paddock after the AFL and the AFLPA agreed to the strict conditions imposed on the 2005 Brownlow Medallist by his club.
The four-time club best and fairest will begin training on Monday with the Eagles and will have to meet with an AFL medical team to ensure he is mentally and physically ready before he returns to AFL action.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said in a statement that Cousins had done everything in his power to get his career back on track.
"The discussions with Ben very productive and we believe Ben has now passed another hurdle on the way to regaining full health," Mr Demetriou said in the statement.
"He will now resume training with a view to then playing at a later date."
Demetriou said the conditions Cousins must adhere to would be outlined by the Eagles next week.