Wayne Carey has spoken publicly for the first time about his absence from the NSW Australian Football Hall of Fame night, conceding he was “disappointed” not to be there.

Carey was one of 100 identities inducted at a gala dinner in May, but was blocked by the AFL from being immediately elevated to Legend status.

As first reported by 7NEWS.com.au, Carey’s induction took place on the same weekend the AFL industry made a powerful stand against gender-based violence in Australia.

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A two-time premiership captain with North Melbourne, Carey infamously split the club when he was caught cheating on his wife with the wife of then teammate Anthony Stevens.

Carey would then split up with his wife, less than two months after the birth of his first child, after it came to light he was cheating on her with model Kate Nielson.

He was accused of “glassing” Nielson in 2007 and later addressed the controversy during an appearance on SAS Australia in 2022.

Neilson had stood by Carey in court and did not press charges, but she later said the relationship was toxic and that the attack in Miami left her “bleeding profusely from the mouth”.

Carey hadn’t spoken about the AFL’s decision to block his elevation to Legend status until now, when he launched his new podcast called Uncensored with Wayne Carey.

“I got a phone call from a young man at AFL NSW and he said would you accept a call from (AFL CEO) Andrew Dillon,’’ Carey said.

“I was at the airport about to fly up to Sydney and said ‘of course I’ll accept the phone call’ and we had that phone call.

“It was very brief to be honest, in the end it was, still go along and he said basically the conversation was … there wasn’t a discussion in and around me being inducted as a legend. That I would still be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He said that hadn’t crossed their desk, which I find hard to believe to be honest, but that’s neither here nor there.

“He mentioned still go along, you going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, (but) I don’t want to detract from the rest of the players that were being inducted whether it be legend or just into the Hall of Fame. It would have become a circus.

“And the focus would have been around me unfortunately for them, so I made the decision not to go. I felt that was the right one for everyone at that function.”

Carey conceded he was disappointed not to attend the event and catch up with some of his heroes.

“From what I hear it was an amazing function, everyone had a great night and I move on,’’ he said.

“I’ve lost no sleep over it. It sat with me for a little while, was there a little disappointment, I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t.

“I sit very comfortable with not attending the night and I heard great things. My hero from when I was eight, nine, 10 years old — Laurie Pendrick — got inducted that night. So I was a little bit disappointed that I didn’t get to go and see him be inducted and obviously a fellow Wagga Wagga boy in Paul Kelly being inducted as a legend.

“So from a selfish point of view I would have liked to see those guys enjoy the night.”

Carey also reiterated it was his choice not to attend the event.

“No, I wasn’t blocked from attending. That was my choice. I still flew up to Sydney by the way and spent the weekend there,” he said.