Editing Wayne Carey (section)

====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>