Ben Cousins has spoken candidly in Perth about his recovery from drug addiction, the 2006 premiership and that incident with the finger - but unless you and your mates were willing to fork out $2000 a table, you were unlikely to hear him.

The former West Coast bad boy received a rousing reception at a glittering lunch on Sunday afternoon in what was his first major speaking occasion since being sacked by the Eagles late in 2007 following a string of off-field incidents.

However, that welcome certainly didn't apply to local media as security guards hired by promoter Brad Hopes patrolled the ballroom at the Perth Convention Centre, and politely escorted out reporters from various media outlets, including Sportal.

Despite being heavily promoted in newspapers as an up-front and personal encounter with Cousins, where he spoke plainly about his battle with drug addiction, all the reporters were asked to leave the building before the 31-year-old really got into his stride.

But before that, the now Richmond midfielder discussed his personal reasons for auctioning off two treasured jumpers to raise funds for Cyrenian House, a drug and alcohol counselling service.

Cousins said he was offering his 2006 premiership jumper and the jumper worn in his 2007 comeback game against Sydney, following a 15-match absence where he'd been internally suspended by the Eagles for missing a mandatory drug test during March of that year.

"They are clearly the two most significant jumpers that I've ever played in," Cousins said.

"Cyrenian House is a fantastic drug and alcohol treatment facility that does an enormous amount of work in the community."

"(So) it makes it a bit easier for me to let these things go. I'm not the sort of person to ever put my jumper up on a wall at home so I think it can go to somebody that can put it to better use."

"(If) we can raise some great money for a good cause then, you know, I'm only too happy."

"The Premiership jumper is symbolic of all the great things that I was able to be part of at West Coast culminating in a premiership."

"And the jumper that I played in, in my comeback from rehab, is a really significant jumper for me, because it's symbolic of the long road back to recovery."

"I'm all too aware of the scrutiny and pressure that I was put under in the lead up to that game and I, without sounding like a wanker, am proud of the way I was able to, I guess just be single-minded in my approach to that game and to get through it."

"So it really does hold some real sentimental value for me."

Since returning to AFL football with Richmond this season, Cousins was one of the shining lights in a particularly bleak season for the Tigers.

He may have only managed 14 matches as he struggled with hamstring and hand injuries, but was instrumental in the club's best win of the year against Essendon in Round 17.

Cousins ended up playing two matches against the club he used to lead, but his return to Subiaco for the first time in Round 11, proved the most controversial moment of his season, when the 2005 Brownlow medallist flipped the bird to a television camera.

"A lot of people may have pulled a long bow and say it was directed at the WA public or the media or anyone like that for all the things I've been through," he said.

"(But) I'm not bitter and twisted about what happened."

"I've actually done that in my career probably six or eight times over the course of eight years."

"It wasn't 'til Monday, two days later, after all hell had broke loose that I actually saw the serious bad head that went with it," Cousins added, referring to the angry expression on his face at the time.

"When I saw if for the first time on the Today Show on Monday morning, I thought, 'gees that is a bad head isn't it' and it's probably hard to pass that off as just a joke, but that's the honest truth."