Richmond president Gary March says Ben Cousins brings the greatest passion for football of any player he can remember at the AFL club since premiership great Dale Weightman.

March lavished praise on Cousins, playing his 250th AFL game against Sydney at the MCG on Sunday and 12th with the Tigers, saying the Richmond hierarchy had also been stunned by how effectively he taught the club's young players.

He said it had been a risky decision to recruit the former West Coast skipper, premiership player and 2005 Brownlow Medallist, given his much-publicised battle with drugs, but said it had clearly proved to be of benefit to the Tigers.

"What struck me about Ben was his passion for the game," March said.

"I haven't seen anything of the likes of it for a long time, I'd have to probably go back to the Dale Weightman era.

"He just has a sensational passion for playing this game."

Rover Weightman played 274 games for the Tigers, including their last premiership in 1980.

But March said Cousins' teaching capability was the big bonus.

"A couple of weeks ago after we beat Essendon, I was down in the rooms and out of the public eye in the background, Jack Riewoldt had kicked six goals, Ben Cousins was probably talking to him for 15 minutes," he said.

"He was telling him what he had done well in the game but also how he could improve his game.

"I was also talking to young Andrew Collins. Andrew's really come on in leaps and bounds this year.

"I said 'You seem a lot more confident', he said 'I had a chat to Cuz. I'd just get so nervous before a game, I couldn't sleep, I just didn't have a routine'.

"Ben took him through a routine and now he gets to the games relaxed and his football's improving.

"He's constantly teaching our young midfield how to go about their game."

March said Cousins also taught by example the qualities needed to be a champion player, most notably a team-first approach.

"He's a Brownlow Medallist. The reason he is a Brownlow Medallist is because he's a selfless player," he said.

"The Richmond Football Club is better for getting Ben Cousins and I congratulate him on his 250th game."

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