Ben Cousins has made a surprising admission ahead of his debut on Dancing With The Stars.

The AFL great, 45, appeared on Channel Seven's The Front Bar on Wednesday to chat about his incredible career and how he is the happiest he has ever been.

Set to take part in DWTS later this year alongside a slew of celebrities, Cousins revealed the challenging side of the popular dance show, admitting that training for the competition has been far from easy.

'It's been so hard,' he told Front Bar panellists Sam Pang, Mick Molloy and Andy Maher.

'This is just so out of anything I've ever done before. It was hard to pick it up, but it was hard in terms of just the hours required to do the show.

'Having said that I have missed the life of a professioanl athlete. I wasn't moving like one but I was living the lifestyle like one.' 

Despite being on his feet for hours during dance sessions, as well as being wary of any potential injuries, the Brownlow Medal winner admitted his body 'held up really well' during practise.

Cousins, who has been rebuilding his life in recent years after a fall from grace, announced he'd be appearing on the competitive dance show earlier this year.

The footballer says he was approached multiple times by Channel Seven's SAS Australia, which is known for signing up controversial public figures. 

While Cousins has so far refused, he did agree to do Dancing With The Stars as be thinks focusing on a new challenge will aid him in rebuilding his life.

The athlete told the Herald Sun he previously agreed to do the dance competition back in 2008 before changing his mind. 

'I'm just in a pretty good space at the moment and am in a position to take on some new challenges and this has come along and probably for the first time in quite a while I am in a position to give it a go,' he said. 

'This worked for where I was at mentally and wanting to throw myself into something.'

Meanwhile, the complete cast for Dancing with the Stars 2024 has finally been confirmed.  

In addition to Cousins, four-time Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune is set to strut her stuff on the dance floor alongside beloved MasterChef favourite Julie Goodwin and former AFL WAG Nadia Bartel.

They will join singer Samantha Jade, SAS Australia's Ant Middleton, AFL legend Shane Crawford and Olympian and former senator Nova Peris.

Rounding out this year's competitors are comedian Nikki Osborne, Home and Away's James Stewart, Better Homes and Gardens presenter Adam Dovile and chef Hayden Quinn.

This year's stars are currently in rehearsal, with the show set to premiere on Channel Seven later this year.