With Ben Cousins tipped to break his silence over his stint in drug rehabilitation, West Coast coach John Worsfold says he'll have no qualms about picking him to play - when he proves to his club and the rest of the country he is ready.

Although it is yet to be confirmed by the premiers, Cousins is reportedly ready to finally speak publicly, six weeks after his substance abuse problems prompted the Eagles to suspend him indefinitely.

After returning to Perth on Monday, Cousins would only say it was good to be home, and that he hoped his stint in America had set him on a path to health and a possible return to the AFL.

Worsfold said the media pack which surrounded Cousins on his arrival back in WA was not desirable - but getting Cousins back to playing was, if his recovery was a success.

"If the media are going to follow him around and ask him for a comment everywhere he goes it is going to be bad," Worsfold told Southern Cross radio.

"He has got plenty of work to do, and I think he is committed to doing that work, and hopefully people will do let him get on with it.

"If him playing footy for the West Coast Eagles or for anyone is the only indication he is fit and healthy, I think we all want to see that.

"If him not getting back to play football means he never overcomes his issues, that is going to be very sad.

"But I am very confident the strength he has, and the strength of the people that are going to be supporting and (offering) expertise, that he will overcome.

"I honestly don't know the time frame that will take, and when it is going to be able to be shown to the people who need to know he is over everything and is ready to resume his career."

With much speculation about when Cousins may return to the field, and if he should be allowed to, Worsfold said decisions about Cousins' health and welfare would first lie with family and counsellors, one of whom travelled from America with him.

"It is not our call, it his call and his family's call to say what he needs to do to get right," Worsfold said.

"I have never known anyone in this position before ... so we have handed him over to the experts."

And despite calls from Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews that Cousins should serve a 12-week suspension, in line with the AFL's three-strike drug policy, Worsfold said the Brownlow medallist should be given a chance if he sticks to the criteria handed down by the club and the league.

"We will support him and hopefully see him back healthy, and if he is 100 per cent healthy and living his life according to the rules of the community and the AFL ... I think he deserves the opportunity to be able to play football.

"But there is a lot of water to pass under the bridge until that happens."

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