AFL legend Wayne Carey has opened up about his recent scuffle outside a popular Melbourne pub, as he and Sam Newman lashed out after being blocked from speaking at a fundraising event.
Carey, 54, was embroiled in a heated exchange outside the Albert Park Hotel on the night of June 5.
The Kangaroos great and an unidentified man appeared to engage in a shouting match with a third man wearing a backpack.
Carey was later seen grabbing the backpack-wearing man by the sleeve of his shirt while the other man implored Carey to ‘relax’.
Carey later said he had been harassed by the man with whom he became entangled.
‘Unfortunately, there are antagonists who target you based on your experiences as a has-been footballer,’ he said.
Wayne Carey (pictured) has opened up about his altercation outside a Melbourne pub
Sam Newman (pictured) and Wayne Carey had invitations to speak at a fundraising event rescinded recently
‘This individual is a serial harasser – and he chose to repeat his behaviour through vile and obscene slurs, again, last night.’
On Wednesday, Carey addressed the issue on the ‘You Cannot Be Serious’ podcast, explaining that the the man involved had since reached out to him.
‘I have received an apology,’ said Carey.
‘This has happened a couple of times, the same person, the same person has since apologised to not only myself, but my partner Jess and other people that he involved that night.’
The AFL icon didn’t want to go into too much detail about the person involved, but suggested that he was seeking help.
‘I’m not going to be a hypocrite and hang him out to dry, what I am going to say is he’s put the first step forward, he’s sent a message to myself and Jess apologising… and said he’s got some stuff to deal with.
‘And I appreciate more than ever someone who owns what has happened.’
Carey also expressed his frustration at how the incident was reported, saying that it wasn’t a ‘late-night fracas’ as some media reported.
Committee members explained that they had ‘decided to go in a different direction’ and rescind the offer to speak at the event
Carey said he wasn’t bothered by the cancelation, saying he now has time to go away
The incident comes after Carey and fellow footy great Sam Newman had their invitations to speak at a fundraising event rescinded.
The pair were asked to speak at the Barwon Heads Football and Netball Club charity event on June 21 at the Barwon Heads Hotel.
However, they were told not to show up, according to The Herald Sun.
It is understood that committee members had not been happy with the appearance of the ‘You Cannot Be Serious’ podcast hosts attending the event.
Newman addressed the issue on his podcast saying that he and Carey ‘don’t give a f**k’ about the decision.
‘It’s the weak, feckless, insipid people who run those clubs who are controlled by some activists,’ said Newman.
Carey said he was happy with the decision because he had agreed to appear as a favour and he can now spend his time elsewhere.
Elsewhere in the podcast, Newman brought up recent comments where he referred to the AFLW as a ‘lesbian league’, as reported by Daily Mail Australia.
‘The Daily Mail, they’re so good to us,’ said Newman.
‘They reprinted the entire conversation we had about the women’s football league.
‘And I said – throwaway line – “the lesbian league”, and they said “disgraceful comment”.
Newman questioned why it was considered disgraceful, claiming it’s just a fact that a lot of lesbians played footy.
Carey responded: ‘Why do you put yourself through the misery of reading the Daily Mail? I reckon I’d be in a padded room if I read the Daily Mail every day.’
