Disgraced AFL legend Wayne Carey: ‘I now know how warped my thinking was’

AFL commentator and former superstar Wayne Carey has continued to share his regrets, as part of his redemption turn on SAS Australia.

Disgraced AFL legend Wayne Carey has continued to tell all about his scandal-plagued past, attributing his bad behaviour to his troubled childhood.

As SAS Australia continued, the 50-year-old – who’d already addressed his notorious tryst with the wife of his teammate Kangaroos vice-captain Anthony Stevens (“the biggest regret of my life as an adult”) in the premiere episode of Seven’s reality show – said his past had haunted him for more than 20 years.

“I was in self-destruction and my life started to unravel,” he said to chief instructor Ant Middleton in one of the show’s infamous interrogations.

“I left football and went to America.”

Carey was matter of fact and displayed barely any emotion as he detailed how his life had deteriorated further in the States.

In 2007, Carey’s then-girlfriend Kate Neilson was allegedly hit in the face with a wine glass and suffered a cut lip during an argument between the pair in Miami.

Carey was arrested for assaulting police following the incident, and in 2008 a US court placed him on two years’ probation without recording a conviction.

“I got accused of glassing my girlfriend – I leant over to throw wine on her in a restaurant … which is really wrong,” Carey said.

“The glass touched her lip and the headlines were that I glassed her.

“It was the biggest regret of my life, throwing wine on a girlfriend is unacceptable.

“Yes, the glass touched her lip, but it didn’t break. I wasn’t trying to glass her.”

Neilson told News Corp on Sunday she hoped the “dark period” of her life would not be revisited as part of the former footballer’s appearance on the TV reality series.

The former Melbourne socialite, who remains in contact with Carey, said she wanted to leave the incident in the past.

“The incident was so long ago now and it was a dark period of our relationship, but I can say with certainty the glass of wine was intentionally thrown into my face and smashed my mouth pretty bad,” she said.

“(It is) definitely something I well and truly want to leave behind me.”

Wayne Carey tells all on Channel 7's SAS Picture: Channel 7

On Tuesday night, Middleton also asked Carey if he was “quite an aggressive person”

“No,” Carey replied, adding his partners would never say he’d been abusive physically.
“But have I been abusive mentally – I guess. Intimidating – absolutely.”

Middleton: “You have this ‘f--k you I am the world’s greatest footballer I do the hell what I want’ attitude?”

“No staff,” Carey replied.

“Why I behaved that way, staff, is due to a number of reasons. Not addressing things and

“physical violence, I saw that every day growing up …

“Horrific stuff and that’s why when people close to me said, ‘That is unacceptable’, I’d say, ‘What do you mean? I raised my voice. I stood up. I put my arm on her’

“I now know how warped my thinking was. You don’t have to hit someone to be abusive.”

Middleton asked him when he decided to grow up.

“The penny just dropped staff. I spoke to the right people and … that’s not to say that I’m a perfect human now. I’m still a work in progress,” Carey replied.

Middleton: “In order to be old and wise, you have to be young and dumb. Do you want to be known for who you were or who you are?”

Carey: “Who I am now, staff.”

Wayne Carey on SAS. Picture: Channel 7

The AFL commentator is one of a number of celebrities looking for redemption on the fourth season of the brutal reality show.

Troubled former Home And Away heart-throb Orpheus Pledger – who was placed on a good behaviour order for six months in November after he was found in possession of a half-a-gram of ice in February last year – handed in his number on Tuesday night.

Middleton and medic Dr Dan called the actor in for a chat with concerns about his mindset. Pledger was disengaged as the pair tried to gee him up, looking up at the ceiling and mumbling “I want to go home”.

Orpheus Pledger handed in his number on Tuesday night. Picture: Seven

Later explaining in a piece to camera – “If I don't want to learn it, then I don’t want to learn it. (some might call it) quitting, otherwise it’s me doing what I want for myself.”

The recruits numbers thinned further with ’90s singer and actor Melissa Tkautz leaving the selection course, while boxer Michael Zerafa medically withdrew after injuring himself on the first day.

SAS Australia, continues Wednesday, 7.30pm, Seven

Originally published as Disgraced AFL legend Wayne Carey: ‘I now know how warped my thinking was’