Wayne Carey reveals his side of story after Anthony Stevens stoush

Wayne Carey has given his version of what he describes as a ‘firm conversation’ with Anthony Stevens at a North Melbourne premiership reunion on Saturday night.

Wayne Carey. Picture: Getty Images

Former North Melbourne star Wayne Carey has given his version of what he says was a “firm conversation” between him and former teammate Anthony Stevens last weekend.

Carey said he had been expressing his concern for Stevens in the discussion that he maintained did not “come to blows”.

“There was a firm conversation,” the two-time premiership player said on Triple M on Wednesday afternoon .

“Altercation is, I think, too firm to say that that occurred. Firm conversation.

“I think everyone knows that Stevo and I aren’t best mates. That’s not a puzzle. Why this keeps coming up, I don’t know.”

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Wayne Carey and Anthony Stevens clashed on the field in 2003. Picture: George Sal

Carey said after “a great couple of days” of a reunion of players and club officials for the team’s 25-year premiership, he had approached Stevens to express his concerns and that their discussion had been robust but that the pair had later reconciled to share “a couple of beers together” before leaving the Yarraville venue together.

“It sounds like we’ve had this massive blow-up and an altercation … which was factually incorrect,” he said.

“I wanted to have a conversation about Stevo. I was worried about him. I said ‘I’m worried about you’ and he obviously took a bit of umbrage to me saying I was worried about him.

“I said I want him to look after himself, just like people want me to look after myself.”

Stevens and Carey’s relationship was fractured amid a 2002 cheating scandal that ultimately saw club captain Carey depart Arden Street.

Stevens did not attend the celebrations before and during North Melbourne’s game on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.

“I don’t know whether Stevo was upset the next day or not, and that’s why he didn’t come to the motorcade (before the North Melbourne game) … my understanding … is that Stevo wasn’t well,” Carey said.

“He’d had a reasonable night. He didn’t attend the Sunday. If there was a big issue and this big thing had happened and it had upset all these ex-teammates of mine and everything else, on the Sunday I sat there with Darren Crocker, Danielle Laidly, Glenn Archer, Sholly (Craig Sholl) … if I’d upset the apple cart or if they were disappointed with what had occurred, that next day would not be happening.

“It’s been blown into something that it absolutely wasn’t, and that’s disappointing.”

Carey, Stevens in verbal stoush at flag reunion

— Mark Robinson

Wayne Carey and Anthony Stevens had a verbal stoush at a premiership reunion celebration on Saturday night but sources denied there was any potential of violence.

The conversation came almost 20 years after it was revealed Carey had an affair with Stevens’ former wife Kellie in 2002.

It’s understood the conversation centred around Stevens’ mental health, which included Carey talking about dealing with his own mental demons resulting from the affair scandal.

The conversation was broached by Carey first.

Sources denied there was a near physical altercation which needed to be stopped by premiership teammates at the Yarraville Railway Hotel.

It’s understood that after words were said, they moved on and shared a beer together.

The players had gathered on Saturday night to celebrate the 1996 premiership.

It’s not known if the incident was the reason why Stevens did not appear at the cavalcade of players ahead of Sunday’s game against Sydney.

Stevens - now a club director - also was not in the team photo taken on the ground.

The club said Stevens, who was interstate on Monday, was unable to attend on Sunday because he was ill.

Carey was in the photo holding the 1996 premiership cup with former coach Denis Pagan.

The scandal - which rocked the Kangaroos and forced Carey to quit the club - returned to the public eye in February this year when Carey spoke of the affair on SAS: Australia on Channel 7.

Carey called the affair the “biggest regret of his adult life.”

“One of the biggest stories was when I slept with a teammate’s wife,” Carey said on the show.

“It’s haunted me for over 20 years. I was in self destruction mode and I guess my life started to unravel.”