Editing Wayne Carey (section)

===AFL===
====VFL debut: 1987–1989====
In 1987, Carey was recruited by [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]] after their CEO, [[Greg Miller (Australian footballer)|Greg Miller]], met with the [[Sydney Swans]]' football department to discuss the transfer to North Melbourne of [[John Longmire]], a highly regarded junior key-position player. Once that deal was concluded, Miller then inquired about Carey who, like Longmire, was zoned to the Swans due to having lived in New South Wales. He made a token offer of $10,000 as a transfer fee, to which the Swans surprisingly agreed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&docID=AGE041204116JD68RJ87|title=Tigers' history backs Miller|first=Rohan|last=Connolly|date=4 December 2004|work=The Age}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,24288043-5001023,00.html|title=The Australian: Chasing down the Kangaroo|first=Tim|last=Morrissey|date=4 September 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Australia}}</ref> As a 16-year-old, Carey made the move to [[Melbourne, Victoria|Melbourne]] and played for the North Melbourne under-19s, where he starred in their 1988 premiership side under coach [[Denis Pagan]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/163226|pages=40–41|journal=[[Football Record]]|year=1988|issue=Grand Final|title=Under 18 Teams: Grand Final}}</ref> Carey was promoted to the senior list prior to the 1989 season and, after recovering from dislocating his left shoulder in a practice match early in the year, made his first appearance for the seniors as an 18-year-old in round 11 of [[1989 VFL season|1989]] against [[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy]].

==== State of Origin ====
Carey had a relatively short but successful [[Interstate matches in Australian rules football|State of Origin]] career, and what he describes as a significant period in his career.<ref name="North Melbourne Football Club">{{Citation |last=North Melbourne Football Club |title=Wayne Carey feature – Part 1 (AFLPlayers.com.au) |date=2015-05-11 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_FAOI51CWQ |access-date=2016-03-03}}</ref> Carey first played at the game's highest level in 1990 for [[Australian rules football in New South Wales#Representative Team|New South Wales]], in a famous win over [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]], in the side's third-ever win against the state; Carey scored one goal. In 1992, playing for [[South Australia Australian rules football team|South Australia]] against Victoria, Carey played an outstanding game, dominating at centre half-forward and kicking two goals,<ref name="The YouTube Rub">{{Citation |last=The YouTube Rub |title=31/05/2014 The Origin of the Fraudulent Chief |date=2014-05-31 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY8DU67l-xk |access-date=2016-03-03}}</ref> including the match-winner from 55 metres out in the dying moments. Carey had four opponents in the game, dominating them all, including [[Chris Langford]], [[Danny Frawley]] and [[Garry Lyon]].<ref name="The YouTube Rub"/> Carey has described this game as the moment he knew he belonged at AFL level, as State of Origin at that time was considered to be the most challenging level of the game.<ref name="North Melbourne Football Club" /> Carey played for NSW/ACT the following year in the [[State of Origin Carnival]], scoring one goal. In the latter half of the 1990s, clubs began putting pressure on players to pull out of State of Origin games due to fear of injury, and players began to stop participating, with the final non-charity State of Origin game occurring in 1999.

'''1989–2001'''

The 1990s was a decade dominated by forwards, and Wayne Carey dominated his role at centre half-forward more than perhaps any other player in his position before or since.

"Carey had established a reputation as one of perhaps the dozen greatest players of all time," according to writer John Devaney of australianfootball.com.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australian Football - Wayne Carey - Player Bio |url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/wayne+carey/12646 |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=australianfootball.com}}</ref><blockquote>"It was clear right from the outset that the Kangaroos had managed to get their hands on someone special. Powerfully built even then, Carey could mark strongly even under the most extreme pressure, and his kicking either to position or at goal was impeccable. He was also surprisingly quick, both over the ground, and in terms of his decision making and use of the ball. Carey won the first of his four North Melbourne best and fairest awards in 1992, and the following year was appointed captain.

"North's emergence as one of the power clubs of the AFL during the mid- to late 1990s was attributable in no small measure to Carey's presence and contribution. It is arguable that no footballer in history has ever been capable of winning a game entirely off his own boot, but Carey at his peak perhaps came as close as anyone. On a purely objective measure, he was probably worth at least three players—which, coincidentally, is sometimes the number of opponents he had to contend with. Named an AFL All-Australian in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000, Carey was selected as captain of the side on four occasions. In both 1996 and 1999 he was a pivotal member of his club's two most recent premiership sides."

—John Devaney</blockquote>

====Extramarital affair and leaving North Melbourne for Adelaide: 2002–2004====
In March 2002, Carey had an extramarital affair with the wife of North Melbourne stalwart and Vice Captain [[Anthony Stevens]], Kelli. Making the situation even messier was the fact that Carey was himself married to his long-term partner Sally McMahon. Carey and Stevens were attending a party at teammate [[Glenn Archer]]'s house. Carey is quoted as saying Kelli followed him into the toilets in front of a large crowd, including her husband.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/27/1040511178534.html?oneclick=true |title=Sydney Morning Herald: The Carey affair |work=Sydney Morning Herald |date=28 December 2002 |access-date=29 September 2011}}</ref> An argument ensued between Carey and Stevens,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afana.com/netpaper/mar13-01730.html |title=Wayne Carey quits the Roos |publisher=AFANA |access-date=29 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120727235148/http://www.afana.com/netpaper/mar13-01730.html |archive-date=27 July 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and both players subsequently failed to attend football training. In the face of his team being united against him, as well as nationwide condemnation, Carey resigned in disgrace from North Melbourne.<ref name = "vegas" /> Carey's then manager [[Ricky Nixon]] infamously stated that his client was on "[[suicide watch]]" during the aftermath.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/features/ready-for-the-handball/2006/04/29/1146198390810.html |work=[[The Age]]|title= The people the players turn to|date=30 April 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110131729/http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/features/ready-for-the-handball/2006/04/29/1146198390810.html |archive-date=10 November 2007}}</ref> To avoid media attention, Carey fled to [[Las Vegas Strip|Las Vegas]], USA.<ref name = "vegas" /> Stevens had been groomsman to Carey at his wedding to Sally.

North Melbourne Legend [[Brent Harvey]] said it set the club back "four or five years".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayne Carey responds to fresh claims about Anthony Stevens |url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/afl-2022-wayne-carey-responds-claims-about-anthony-stevens-205920368.html |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=au.sports.yahoo.com |date=8 August 2022 |language=en-AU}}</ref> The aftermath of the affair resulted in Carey missing the [[2002 AFL season]] and transferring to the [[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide Crows]] for the [[2003 AFL season]]; he would play two seasons with the Crows, including kicking 56 goals, retiring at the end of the [[2004 AFL season]]. The first game played between North Melbourne and Adelaide in 2003 made for gripping viewing, with Archer and Stevens both taunting and making aggressive moves towards Carey. Although tension was at fever pitch, all players involved managed to restrain themselves from doing anything overly rash. Adelaide went on to win convincingly by 54 points.<ref>{{Citation |title=Flashback: 2003 - North Melbourne v Adelaide | date=24 May 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lUgmZ7NRtI |language=en |access-date=2022-08-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AFL Tables - Kangaroos v Adelaide - Fri, 2-May-2003 7:40 PM - Match Stats |url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2003/011220030502.html |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=afltables.com}}</ref> In a twist of fate, Stevens took over Carey's role of captain in 2002.

In February 2022, 20 years after the initial fallout from the affair, Carey labelled his affair with Stevens "the biggest regret of my life as an adult" while participating on season three of the reality TV show ''[[SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins|SAS Australia]]''.<ref name="news.com.au">{{Cite web |title=Woman at centre of Carey's infamous AFL affair builds new life |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/woman-at-centre-of-infamous-afl-cheating-affair-unrecognisable/news-story/c92378b4e9af6ca688a078c7d66a695e}}</ref> Despite withdrawing from the show, Carey was reportedly paid A$250,000 for the appearance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SAS Australia pay scandal erupts! |url=https://www.newidea.com.au/sas-australia-pay-scandal |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=New Idea |date=7 March 2022 |language=en-us}}</ref>

In August 2022, Carey and Stevens met again at a function to celebrate the 26th anniversary of their [[1996 AFL Grand Final|1996 premiership]] (which was initially supposed to be a 25th anniversary but was delayed by a year due to [[COVID-19]]); Carey engaged Stevens in a "verbal stoush" at the function, although the situation was reportedly de-escalated. The ''[[Herald Sun]]'' reported there was no potential of violence and that the pair "moved on and shared a beer together" afterwards.<ref name="news.com.au"/>

Despite both players' marriages being rocked by the public scandal, it took each marriage several years to dissolve. Carey's marriage ended in 2006, four years after the incident,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-02-23 |title=Wayne Carey confirms split with wife |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/wayne-carey-confirms-split-with-wife-20060224-gdn14y.html |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref> while Kelli and Anthony Stevens divorced in 2008, six years after the affair.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stevens' marriage over years after Carey affair |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/stevens-split-up/news-story/a0758bd001cc6836ff566aae67f3feb3}}</ref>