Richmond great Matthew Richardson is confident Ben Cousins' impending AFL retirement is the right move for the controversial midfielder.

Cousins, 32, will announce the end of his playing career at a press conference on Tuesday.

The recovering drug addict spent over three hours at the club's Punt Road headquarters on Monday meeting with Richmond officials.

He wouldn't reveal his intentions as he left the club, where he has played for two seasons after his controversy-dotted decade at West Coast.

But it is understood Cousins has decided to hang up the boots and will make it official on Tuesday.

Richardson, who retired from playing at the end of last year, said the 2005 Brownlow Medallist was making the correct decision.

Richardson said the move allowed Cousins to depart on his own terms while playing well and having won back some admirers after his 12-month suspension for bringing the game into disrepute amid his much-publicised drug problems.

"He's got a lot of support out there now in the public. It's been a really good two years for him," Richardson told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

"A lot of people have got a real soft spot for Ben. He'll have no trouble getting work in football. In the media he's a good talent. He's got a lot to say and people will like listening to him.

"He's finishing on top, he's in good form, he was probably their best player on the weekend.

"At that age, another six months on another pre-season, the body takes another hit and it could end badly for him next year."

His retirement would also dovetail perfectly with the scheduling of the revealing television documentary detailing his drug addiction and rehabilitation.

That is scheduled to air on August 25 and 26 on the Seven Network - days before what would be his final AFL game against Port Adelaide on August 29.

Cousins, who is believed to have made his own call on retirement, was tight-lipped as he left Richmond on Monday afternoon.

"I really can't say anything. There's going to be a press conference tomorrow," he said.

Despite the club's struggles, his time at Richmond has been mostly successful on-field, though it hasn't been without its off-field moments.

He was suspended for one match by the club earlier this year for misbehaviour over an incident following an away match in Sydney and the Tigers have had to publicly defend Cousins against allegations of binge drinking.

There was also a health scare in early July when the club said he had been hospitalised because of a bad reaction to a sleeping tablet.

Since then, Cousins' form has been flawless.

He has been the Tigers' best player over the last month and performed well again in the 89-point defeat to Carlton last Saturday.

But whether Cousins plays both of Richmond's remaining matches in 2010 is in doubt.

He badly corked his leg in the heavy loss to Carlton and is no certainty to play against St Kilda on Saturday.

The Tigers' final match of the season is then at Etihad Stadium the following week.

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