ALTHOUGH his mental state remains unpredictable, Ben Cousins will fight to return to football next season in the belief that a one-year suspension by the AFL effectively would end his career, given his age and condition.

The Age believes Cousins wants to keep his options open as he and his support team consider their defence against a charge brought by the AFL that he had brought the game into disrepute. The charge will be heard by the AFL Commission on Monday.

A police charge against Cousins of refusing a blood test was dropped on a technicality yesterday. While Cousins' team — which includes his father, Bryan, manager Ricky Nixon and lawyers headed by David Grace, QC — was treating the backflip as a victory of sorts, there was still no certainty that Cousins will face the commission in person. Nixon refused to comment last night as the AFL confirmed the hearing would continue.

Cousins is deciding whether to take legal action against police and the Eagles.

The prevailing view was that Cousins should face both the commission and the media, admit to his addiction and plead for another chance to rehabilitate himself. With only three weeks between the hearing and Cousins' last chance to nominate for the pre-season draft, his career is in the balance.

The commission remains determined to put the disrepute charge to Cousins despite the West Australian police's bungling, which West Coast said yesterday would not alter the club's decision to terminate his contract.

The AFL has given Cousins a rap sheet with 11 offences, including his refusal to submit to a drug test by police. It also includes the allegation he was taped talking to underworld connections and the fact that he ran away from a police breath-tester last year.

The AFL's decision to charge Cousins came after lengthy legal consideration and the dilemma facing Cousins' team is how to convince the commission to keep his options alive despite the increasing likelihood that no club will risk taking him on.

Cousins looks certain to claim he had not taken illegal drugs between March and October this year should he face the commission.

He has claimed he was taking legal drugs for depression and attention deficit disorder, with the ADD medication allegedly commonly prescribed to recovering addicts. While the AFL charged Cousins before his alleged five-day cocaine bender in the US, he could claim his cocaine use was exaggerated and that his hospitalisation came as a result of an emotional breakdown.

The AFL Players Association said Cousins had the right to return to football once he had beaten his addiction.

But fellow Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis had little sympathy for Cousins. "I think with Ben's situation, there's always a choice factor in it. The dude had a choice. He had a choice all those years ago, with whatever he was doing all those years ago. At the moment, you get sympathy but you don't get a lot of sympathy from other players because the temptress is everywhere," he said.

The inquiry into West Coast by William Gillard, QC, will interview former players Mitch Morton and Chris Judd.