'He'll be crawling up the walls in jail'

Former Richmond Tigers coach Terry Wallace says troubled AFL star Ben Cousins will struggle with life behind bars.

Cousins will remain behind bars for at least two weeks and could face a prison sentence if convicted of new stalking and drug charges.

The former West Coast Eagles captain appeared dishevelled and with a full beard when he appeared in Armadale Magistrates Court on Friday charged with 11 offences.

Wallace, speaking on SEN's The Run Home, said Cousins will need time to adjust to being confined to a prison cell because of his generally unsettled demeanour.

"I remember when he was with us at the Tigers, I brought the boys around for a barbecue and a backyard cricket game and him being confined to my backyard, he was like a caged lion," Wallace revealed.

"He just couldn't handle the confines of being closed up at all. He'll be crawling up the walls (in jail)."

Wallace coached Cousins at the Tigers after Richmond decided to throw him a lifeline following a year-long suspension.

Wallace said being locked up might just be the thing that allows the former Brownlow medallist to turn his life around.

"It might be the best thing for him to clean himself up," Wallace said.

"He's been given chances. We brought him in to play footy but also give him a chance, but unfortunately he couldn't stay on that straight and narrow.

"It's just very sad in general. He's had so many chances, but we also know that when drugs gets you — it doesn't matter who you all, he hasn't been able to beat it at all."

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Search warrants were issued at residences in Melville and Bicton on Thursday night, and Cousins was arrested when he arrived in a car at the Melville home.

The 38-year-old faces seven counts of breaching a violence restraining order, aggravated stalking, driving without a licence, and possessing a prohibited drug and smoking utensil.

with AAP