[2] After being overlooked in the National draft, Cousins was picked by Hawthorn with their third selection and forty-sixth overall in the 2017 national rookie draft A sequence of high possessions games playing for Box Hill gave the selectors notice that he was ready for the big league.

Five days later, it was announced that Cousins required surgery and would miss the remainder of the 2017 season.

[4] On 2 August 2017, Cousins signed a two-year rookie contract extension to stay at Hawthorn until the end of 2019.

[5] Cousins was delisted by Hawthorn at the end of the 2021 season and was wished all the best for his future endeavours.

[6] He started playing for Williamstown in the VFL after being delisted and made 8 appearances, kicking 2 goals, in an injury-interrupted 2022 season.