FORMER West Coast Eagles captain Ben Cousins will not play football in 2008, and will not begin training with VFL side Port Melbourne until at least mid-August, his management said yesterday.

Cousins arrived in Melbourne on Thursday, but will be here for only a few days, according to Carlie Merenda, from his management company, Flying Start.

Cousins registered as player with the club last month, but Port's coach Gary Ayres said yesterday that he had not spoken with Cousins or his management about this week's visit, but he believed that it was possible that Cousins could begin training with the Borough some time next month.

Merenda said Cousins' main purpose for being in Melbourne was to attend a series of meetings regarding a documentary that he is making on his recovery from drug addiction.

Merenda said that Cousins would return to Melbourne in about two weeks' time.

In the interim, Cousins will return to Perth shortly and commence training with WAFL clubs East Fremantle and Perth in the hope of reviving his AFL career in 2009.

To make an AFL comeback, he would need to satisfy the AFL Commission that he has overcome the drug-related issues that led to his ban.