SAS Australia: Where the WAGS of Wayne Carey are now

AFL legend Wayne Carey made the decision to dredge up his past relationships and scandals with a controversial appearance on Channel Seven’s SAS Australia.

In an episode this week, the 50-year-old spoke about how he mentally intimidated some of his former partners, saying ‘you don’t actually have to hit someone to be abusive’ during a bombshell interrogation.

From an infamous affair with a teammate’s wife and a glassing incident that shocked the nation, we take a look at Wayne’s rocky past romances – and how the former WAGS have since moved on from life in the spotlight.

Sally McMahon: Married from 2001-2006

Wayne Carey married his long-time partner Sally McMahon in 2001 after the pair met at a party in Wagga Wagga when he had just turned 20 and she was 17.

But the couple’s relationship soon hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Just one year after tying the knot, the North Melbourne captain was involved in a sordid affair with his former teammate Antony Stevens’ wife, Kelli. 

To make matters worse, Stevens was by Carey’s side as a groomsman at his wedding. 

Relationship: Wayne Carey married his long-time partner Sally McMahon back in 2001 in New South Wales (pictured) and split in 2006. Nowadays, Sally keeps a low profile on social media but appears to have found happiness with a strapping gentleman who she uses as her cover photo on Facebook (right)

Carey and Sally did manage to mend their relationship and had a daughter, Ella, now 16, before parting ways in 2006 – only months after her birth.

Stevens also reconciled with Kelli and they welcomed two children before divorcing in 2008.

Nowadays, Sally keeps a low profile on social media but appears to have found happiness with a strapping gentleman who is pictured alongside her on her Facebook profile. 

In the photograph taken in 2016, Sally doesn’t appear to have aged a day as she smiled happily in a striking print dress.  

Heartache: The pair’s relationship was soon met with scandal, as just one year after their nuptials the North Melbourne captain was involved in a sordid affair with his former teammate Anthony Stevens’ wife Kelli. Pictured: Carey and Sally in 2005

Family: Carey and Sally did manage to mend their relationship and had a daughter, Ella, now 16, before parting ways in 2006 – two months after the birth of their child. She also welcomed a second daughter, named Zoe, in 2014. Pictured: Sally and her children in 2015

She welcomed a second daughter, named Zoe, in 2014. 

Sally she spoke out in defence of Carey in 2016 after he was hit with rumours he’d cheated on his then-partner, Stephanie Edwards, who he shares daughter Charlotte, 7, with. 

‘Over the past five years in particular, Wayne has been a very dedicated, loving father to both Ella and Charlotte,’ Sally said at the time. 

‘We often spend time with them both and I think it’s lovely for the girls to have the relationship they do.’ 

Kelli Stevens – 2002

Love and betrayal: Wayne and Kelli (right, with her then husband Anthony at an AFL match in Brisbane in August 2004) had been caught in a bathroom together by teammates at a birthday party in 2002, eventually shattering both men’s marriages

Former friends: Carey and Anthony Stevens are pictured together after the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne in 1996

Carey’s affair with his former teammate Anthony Stevens’ wife Kelli was splashed across headlines in 2002.

Anthony and Kelli had married in 1998, but they split for good in 2008 – six years after the infamous affair took place.

North Melbourne was ripped apart by the affair, which was exposed when Stevens and Carey were attending a party at teammate Glenn Archer’s house.

Close: Anthony Stevens with then-wife Kelli at Wayne Carey’s wedding reception in 2001

Abs of steel: Nowadays, Kelli is living a very different life away from the spotlight as a lifestyle and mindset coach and F45 owner in Victoria

Happy: Kelli often posts updates of her life on social media, sharing images of her ripped physique as she teaches others about the power of a positive mindset

Kelli was at the party and followed Carey into a toilet, which helped to expose the illicit relationship. 

Carey and Stevens finally made up during a 15 minute catch up in 2016, 14 years after the love triangle rocked North Melbourne.

Carey later issued a public apology to his former best friend in 2016, insisting the affair had been a one-night only event. 

During their reconciliation, Stevens and Kelli welcomed two children together via IVF – Ayva, 21, and 16-year-old River.

Baby joy: Kelli announced she was expecting a child with her partner and fellow F45 trainer, Andrew Hall, in August 2017

Loved-up: Kelli looks blissfully happy with her partner, often sharing loved-up images of the pair together on her page 

Family: During their reconciliation, Anthony and Kelli welcomed two children together via IVF; Ayva, 21, and River, 16. She welcomed daughter Leni Rumer with her partner Andrew in August 2017. Pictured: Kelli with her children

Nowadays, Kelli is living an incredibly different life away from the spotlight as a lifestyle and mindset coach and F45 owner in Victoria, alongside her partner and fellow F45 trainer Andrew Hall.

The pair announced they were expecting a child together in February 2017, and welcomed a daughter named Leni Rumer in August that year.

‘She is everything and more! So in love!’ Kelli captioned a post of the arrival at the time.

Newborn: ‘She is everything and more! So in love!’ Kelli captioned a post of the arrival of her daughter Leni at the time

‘In Aug 2015 after experiencing almost 15yrs of my life being splashed across the media (and it didn’t stop there either) and not knowing who I was anymore I knew it was time to get past all that heaviness and mess I was carrying and discover who I was and my beautiful shining light,’ she wrote at the time

Kelli often posts updates of her life on social media, sharing images of her fit physique as she teaches others about the power of a positive mindset.

She touched on her life in the spotlight in 2020, alongside an inspirational post where she spruiked a ‘Women Empower Women’ event which she had created.

‘In Aug 2015 after experiencing almost 15yrs of my life being splashed across the media (and it didn’t stop there either) and not knowing who I was anymore, I knew it was time to get past all that heaviness and mess I was carrying and discover who I was and my beautiful shining light,’ she wrote at the time.

Kate Neilson: 2006 – 2009

New romance: Following his split from Sally McMahon in 2006, Carey began a relationship with model Kate Neilson. Pictured in happier times during a trip to the US 

Following his split from Sally in 2006, Carey began a relationship with model Kate Neilson.

The pair were even briefly engaged in 2009, but broke up shortly after amid accusations Carey was being unfaithful. 

Kate, who now lives as an actress and producer in the US, spoke about their relationship with Daily Mail Australia earlier this week after Carey’s bombshell appearance on SAS Australia.

She said she is ‘still friends’ with him, but that it took years for the pair to reach that level.

Carey touched on his romance with Kate during Tuesday’s episode when he explained how he was accused of ‘glassing’ her in the face in a Miami restaurant in 2007, describing it as ‘one of the biggest regrets of my life’. 

Wayne said on SAS: ‘In America, I’ve been charged with assaulting police. I got accused of glassing my girlfriend. I leant over to throw wine on her in a restaurant, which clearly is wrong. The glass touched her lip. The headlines were that I glassed her.

Her side: Neilson, who says she is now ‘friends’ with Carey and speaks to him regularly, recently responded as he spoke about the infamous glassing incident on SAS Australia: ‘Firstly, I want to say that I don’t agree with his version of the story’. They are pictured outside court in Melbourne on February 4, 2009

‘Of course throwing wine on a girlfriend is unacceptable. Completely unacceptable.’ 

‘[The wine glass] didn’t break. I wasn’t trying to glass her,’ he insisted.

Kate, who speaks to Carey regularly, said she didn’t agree with his ‘downplayed’ version of the incident on Tuesday’s episode.

‘There was a lot of alcohol involved. He was highly intoxicated that night. I, on the other hand, had not been drinking during the day,’ she said.

‘I had a glass of wine and dinner, but he had been drinking the whole day. I’m pretty sure my recollection of what happened is a lot clearer.’ 

Kate decided not to press charges against him over the incident.

She continued: ‘If that was 100 per cent the truth as to what he’s saying and the downplaying of it, then why did he run from the scene? Why did he not stop and render aid when I was bleeding profusely from the mouth?

‘The shatter of the glass was so loud that people on the table next to us yelled out, and were trying to video tape. Strangers were coming to my aid.

‘But my partner is running from the scene. You tell me, does that make sense to you? If you’re so innocent and it was a genuine mistake, wouldn’t you be like, “Oh my God, what have I done? What can we do?” The damage was clear as to what was going on.’

Lesson learned: ‘I’m more empowered. I can actually say that I’ve moved on from it. I’ve learned a lot from my relationship and I wouldn’t allow myself to ever be in a toxic relationship with a guy ever again,’ said Neilson (pictured at the beach earlier this year)

Kate said she’d been able to move on from the incident and had finally ‘healed’, and had even been able to rebuild a friendship with Carey years after their split.

‘I’m more empowered. I can actually say that I’ve moved on from it. I’ve learned a lot from my relationship and I wouldn’t allow myself to ever be in a toxic relationship with a guy ever again,’ she said.

‘It was such a big deal at the time. It was making front pages of every newspaper in the country. It was a dark period for me. I also got a lot of backlash from people who didn’t know me, and even friends because I stayed [with Carey].

‘I dropped charges against him, I stayed with him. I stood by him in court.

‘I feel like I kind of saved him, in a way. He should be thanking me.’

Kate went on to share another dark moment in the pair’s relationship – when she discovered he was cheating on her, months after he asked her to be his wife in 2009.

Kate allegedly caught the footballer cheating on her that year, claiming to have found another woman’s clothes in the back of her car.

‘That was almost as horrific as the Miami incident,’ she said.

‘In fact, it took me a lot longer to get over that than it did the Miami incident, and I know that sounds really sick, but I was mentally broken at that point.

‘I was engaged, I’d planned to spend the rest of my life with him and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. That was more of a trigger point for me. What could have been, what now isn’t.

‘And it’s through his actions that we aren’t together anymore. That’s not what I wanted. I always wanted to be with him forever, so the thought of not having him forever was a life-changer.

‘I feel like because it was the actual end triggers me more, as that was the beginning of the end. It was more painful.’

New project: Kate is now busy in the U.S. working on a true-crime television series, one which she has been developing for the past three years

In a parting message for her ex-partner, she said: ‘I hope he has had enough time to change and heal all wounds. I wish him the best in the future. I hope he’s changed.’

Kate is currently working on a true-crime television series, one which she has been developing for the past three years. 

‘Three years of interviewing, researching, travelling and now we’re starting to write it to pitch. It’s dubbed the modern day Bonnie and Clyde,’ she said.

Kate was an executive producer and starred in the 2021 movie The Dunes, and has also enjoyed roles in Robert De Niro movie Killer Elite (2011) and short film Dark Angels (2012). 

Stephanie Edwards: 2011 – 2016 

Relationship: Stephanie Edwards announced she was engaged to Carey (both pictured, left) in 2015, four years after the pair began dating. They split in 2016. Stephanie has largely kept out of the limelight in recent years, but her LinkedIn profile shows she is now the Regional Vice President in Digital at a global organisational firm (right)

Stephanie Edwards announced she was engaged to Carey in 2015, four years after the pair began dating in 2011.

But it turned out to be another failed romance for the AFL star, with the couple confirming they had parted ways just a year later.

The pair share a seven-year-old daughter named Charlotte together, who they welcomed in 2014.

Carey’s manager in 2016 Chris Giannopoulos confirmed Carey and Stephanie had split earlier in the year and said they were now ‘working through their issues’.

Over: Carey’s manager in 2016 Chris Giannopoulos confirmed Carey and Stephanie had split earlier in the year and said they were ‘working through their issues’

At the time, a report by The Herald Sun claimed that pictures and messages sent to Stephanie alleged Carey had cheated on her during their relationship.

Carey later hit back at the cheating rumours, saying he intended to protect his family from ‘further unwarranted attention’.

Stephanie has largely kept out of the limelight in recent years, but she is now the regional vice-president in digital at a global organisational firm.

The Melbourne-based entrepreneur is pictured beaming widely in her profile picture, with the page showing that she has worked at the company for the past eight years.

Jessica Paulke: 2018 to present

Current romance: Carey was first linked to Jessica Paulke, a Victorian model, at the Australian Open tennis in January 2018. The pair fell pregnant that same year, and welcomed their first child, Carter Michael Carey, on Saturday, February 2 2019

Carey was first linked to Victorian model Jessica Paulke at the Australian Open in January 2018, making their romance Facebook official months later.

The pair fell pregnant the same year, and welcomed their first child, Carter Michael Carey in February 2019.

At the time, Carey told The Herald Sun: ‘We are really excited. He is a beautiful, healthy baby, very calm like his mother, is sleeping well and eating well.

Sweet: At the time, he told The Herald Sun: ‘We are really excited. He is a beautiful, healthy baby, very calm like his mother, is sleeping well and eating well’

Confirmed: The pair made their romance official in March 2018 on Facebook

‘Jess couldn’t be better. We are looking forward to a great year.’

Carey added that he has high hopes one of his children might follow in his sporting footsteps, adding: ‘I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t want him to play the game his father loved playing and being a part of so much.’

Miss Paulke also has a son from a previous relationship.

Her social media pages are set to private, but her bio reads: ‘My little loves Van & Carter.’  

Family: Her social media pages are set to private, but her bio reads: ‘My little loves Van & Carter’

Wayne Carey’s SAS Australia confessions:

During his stint on SAS Australia, Carey spoke about his former relationships when interrogated by Directing Staff.

Chief instructor Ant Middleton said that despite being one of Australia’s most celebrated football players, Wayne had left behind a ‘trail of destruction’.

Speaking out: During his stint on SAS Australia, Carey spoke about his former relationships when interrogated by Directing Staff 

His revelation about his affair with Kelli left Ant, 41, shocked, as Carey said: ‘It’s haunted me for over 20 years. I was in self-destruction mode. You know, I guess my life started to unravel.’

After speaking about his relationship with Kate he went on to say: ‘All my partners will say I’ve never been physically abusive.

‘But have I been abusive mentally and also, I guess, intimidating? Absolutely.’

Added Ant: ‘You have this f**king attitude, “I’m the world’s greatest footballer, I do what the f**k I want”.’

But Wayne said Ant’s assessment of him wasn’t true, and his bad behaviour was ‘due to a number of reasons’.

‘Actually being physically violent to someone, I saw that everyday growing up… Horrific stuff,’ he said.

Not impressed: Chief instructor Ant Middleton said that despite being one of Australia’s most celebrated football players, Wayne had left behind a ‘trail of destruction’ 

‘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. You know, I put my arm on her”.’

He added: ‘I now know how warped my thinking was. You don’t actually have to hit someone to be abusive.’

Wayne said ‘the penny dropped’ and he eventually changed his problematic behaviour.

‘I spoke to the right people, and that’s not to say that I’m a perfect human now either. I’m still a work in progress,’ he said.

He added: ‘I’m not proud of some of the things that I’ve done. But I’ve done a lot of work on myself over the last 10 years and I take ownership of it.’

‘I’m not proud of some of the things that I’ve done. But I’ve done a lot of work on myself over the last 10 years and I take ownership of it,’ Wayne said