View source for Anthony Stevens

{{Short description|Australian footballer}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Anthony Stevens
| image = 
| fullname = 
| nickname = Stevo<ref>{{cite web|title=Wayne Carey: How the affair began|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/wayne-carey-how-the-affair-began/story-e6frfkvr-1225790800772|website=News.com.au|publisher=News Corporation|access-date=25 September 2015|archive-date=8 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160908031506/http://www.news.com.au/national/wayne-carey-how-the-affair-began/story-e6frfkvr-1225790800772|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|7|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = [[Waaia Football Club|Waaia]]
| draftpick = No. 18, [[1988 VFL draft|1988 national draft]]<!--do not capitalise draft or national draft per 1988 AFL draft article title and the Wikipedia manual of style-->
| height = 178 cm
| weight = 81 kg
| position = 
| statsend = 2004
| careerhighlights = * 2x North Melbourne Premiership Player: (1996, 1999)
* [[All-Australian Team]] : (1998)
* Victorian State of Origin Player: (1998)
* 2x North Melbourne [[Syd Barker Medal|Best and Fairest]]: (1997, 1999)
* Named in the North Melbourne Team of the Century (Ruck Rover)
* Named as an [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]] member (2017)
| years1 = 1989–2004
| club1 = [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]]
| games_goals1 = 292 (127)
}}'''Anthony Stevens''' (born 2 July 1971) is a former [[Australian rules football]]er who played for the [[North Melbourne Kangaroos]]. He was named as ruck rover in the club's official 'Team of the Century'.

Stevens was a member of North Melbourne premiership sides in [[1996 AFL Grand Final|1996]] and [[1999 AFL Grand Final|1999]]. In 1998, he was an [[All-Australian team|All-Australian]]; additionally, in the same year, he represented [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]] at [[State of Origin (Australian rules football)|State of Origin]] football. He was a [[Syd Barker Medal|Best and Fairest]] winner for his club twice, in 1997 and 1999.

Stevens lost two litres of blood and had two operations after injuries caused when falling glass hit Stevens outside the Redback Brewery Hotel in North Melbourne on 11 March 2000. Stevens suffered a 20-centimetre gash from the corner of his mouth along his right cheek and down the side of his mouth.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/30/1064819927219.html|title=Stevens sues over injury|first=Peter|last=Gregory|date=1 October 2003}}</ref>

In 2002, he was involved in a much-publicised controversy involving [[Wayne Carey]] after it was revealed that Carey had been having an extramarital affair with his wife Kelli Stevens.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/anthony-stevens-breaks-silence-over-wayne-careys-affair-with-exwife-kelli/news-story/0b9c73aa4cd51aacad71fcee5f7bf012|title=Anthony Stevens breaks silence over Wayne Carey's affair with ex-wife Kelli|first=Glenn|last=McFarlane|work=Sunday Herald Sun|date=14 September 2015}}</ref> The condemnation from Anthony Stevens and his teammates caused Carey to resign from the North Melbourne Football Club. 

Stevens retired at the end of the [[2004 AFL season|2004 season]], but he and former Kangaroos teammate [[Glenn Archer]] got together to play one match for the [[Caulfield Grammar School|Caulfield Grammarians Football Club]].<ref>{{cite news | last=Sheridan | first=Nick | title=Retired champions boost amateur ranks | date=1 June 2008 | publisher=The Age | url=http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/retired-champions-boost-amateur-ranks/2008/05/31/1211654383178.html}}</ref> After he retired from the AFL, Stevens accepted an ambassadorship with the VCFL. He played with [[Benalla Football Club|Benalla]] in the [[Goulburn Valley Football League]] for a number of years.

== Wayne Carey's affair with Stevens' wife ==
In March 2002, [[Wayne Carey]] had an extramarital affair with Stevens' wife, Kelli. Making the situation even messier was the fact that Carey was himself married to his long-term partner Sally McMahon. Carey and Stevens were attending a party at teammate [[Glenn Archer]]'s house. Carey is quoted as saying Kelli followed him into the toilets in front of a large crowd, including her husband.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 December 2002 |title=Sydney Morning Herald: The Carey affair |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/27/1040511178534.html?oneclick=true |access-date=29 September 2011 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> An argument ensued between Carey and Stevens,<ref>{{cite web |title=Wayne Carey quits the Roos |url=http://www.afana.com/netpaper/mar13-01730.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120727235148/http://www.afana.com/netpaper/mar13-01730.html |archive-date=27 July 2012 |access-date=29 September 2011 |publisher=AFANA |df=dmy-all}}</ref> and both players subsequently failed to attend football training. In the face of his team being united against him, as well as nationwide condemnation, Carey resigned in disgrace from North Melbourne.<ref name="vegas">{{cite news |author1=Healey, Kelvin |author2=Balogh, Stefanie |date=3 February 2008 |title=Wayne Carey was 'locked up' in the US |work=The Sunday Telegraph |location=Australia |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/wayne-carey-was-locked-up/story-e6frewt0-1111115460838 |access-date=5 May 2012}}</ref> Carey's then manager [[Ricky Nixon]] famously stated that his client was on "[[suicide watch]]" during the aftermath.<ref>{{cite news |date=30 April 2006 |title=The people the players turn to |work=[[The Age]] |url=http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/features/ready-for-the-handball/2006/04/29/1146198390810.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110131729/http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/features/ready-for-the-handball/2006/04/29/1146198390810.html |archive-date=10 November 2007}}</ref> To avoid media attention, Carey fled to [[Las Vegas Strip|Las Vegas]], USA.<ref name="vegas" /> Stevens had played groomsman to Carey at his wedding to Sally.

North Melbourne champion and AFL Hall of Famer [[Brent Harvey]] said it set the club back "four or five years".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayne Carey responds to fresh claims about Anthony Stevens |url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/afl-2022-wayne-carey-responds-claims-about-anthony-stevens-205920368.html |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=au.sports.yahoo.com |language=en-AU}}</ref> The aftermath of the affair resulted in Carey missing the [[2002 AFL season]] and transferring to the [[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide Crows]] for the [[2003 AFL season]]. In a twist of fate, Stevens took over Carey's role of captain in 2002. The first game played between North Melbourne and Adelaide in 2003 made for gripping viewing, with Archer and Stevens both taunting and making aggressive moves towards Carey. Although tension was at fever pitch, all players involved managed to restrain themselves from doing anything rash. Adelaide went on to win convincingly by 54 points.<ref>{{Citation |title=Flashback: 2003 - North Melbourne v Adelaide |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lUgmZ7NRtI |language=en |access-date=2022-08-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AFL Tables - Kangaroos v Adelaide - Fri, 2-May-2003 7:40 PM - Match Stats |url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2003/011220030502.html |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=afltables.com}}</ref>

In August 2022, 20 years after the initial fallout from the affair, Carey and Stevens met again at a function to celebrate the 26th anniversary of their [[1996 AFL Grand Final|1996 premiership]] (which was initially supposed to be a 25th anniversary but was delayed by a year due to [[COVID-19]]); Carey engaged Stevens in a "verbal stoush" at the function, although the situation was reportedly de-escalated. The ''[[Herald Sun]]'' reported there was no potential of violence and that the pair "moved on and shared a beer together" afterwards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Woman at centre of Carey's infamous AFL affair builds new life |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/woman-at-centre-of-infamous-afl-cheating-affair-unrecognisable/news-story/c92378b4e9af6ca688a078c7d66a695e}}</ref>

Despite both players' marriages being rocked by the public scandal, it took each marriage several years to dissolve. Kelli and Anthony Stevens divorced in 2008, six years after the affair,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stevens' marriage over years after Carey affair |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/stevens-split-up/news-story/a0758bd001cc6836ff566aae67f3feb3}}</ref> while Carey's marriage ended in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-02-23 |title=Wayne Carey confirms split with wife |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/wayne-carey-confirms-split-with-wife-20060224-gdn14y.html |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>

Carey labelled his affair with Stevens "the biggest regret of my life as an adult" while participating on season three of the reality TV show ''[[SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins|SAS Australia]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Woman at centre of Carey's infamous AFL affair builds new life |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/woman-at-centre-of-infamous-afl-cheating-affair-unrecognisable/news-story/c92378b4e9af6ca688a078c7d66a695e}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Stevens' son, River Stevens, was drafted by North Melbourne in November 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-wife of AFL great addresses controversial ‘past’ as son gets drafted |url=https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/kelli-stevens-ex-wife-of-north-melbourne-great-anthony-addresses-controversial-past-as-son-river-gets-drafted-c-16905825 |access-date=28 November 2024 |work=7NEWS |date=28 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

==Statistics==
:<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/A/Anthony_Stevens.html Anthony Stevens' player profile at AFL Tables]</ref>

{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|-
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1989 VFL season|1989]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 58 || 4 || 0 || 3 || 41 || 20 || 61 || 8 || 11 || 0.0 || 0.8 || 10.3 || 5.0 || 15.3 || 2.0 || 2.8
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1990 AFL season|1990]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 46 || 13 || 4 || 6 || 149 || 51 || 200 || 30 || 31 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 11.5 || 3.9 || 15.4 || 2.3 || 2.4
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1991 AFL season|1991]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 10 || 12 || 2 || 2 || 135 || 58 || 193 || 19 || 11 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 11.3 || 4.8 || 16.1 || 1.6 || 0.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1992 AFL season|1992]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 10 || 13 || 11 || 10 || 149 || 71 || 220 || 26 || 39 || 0.8 || 0.8 || 11.5 || 5.5 || 16.9 || 2.0 || 3.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1993 AFL season|1993]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 10 || 21 || 9 || 11 || 330 || 118 || 448 || 36 || 66 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 15.7 || 5.6 || 21.3 || 1.7 || 3.1
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1994 AFL season|1994]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 10 || 24 || 8 || 11 || 341 || 191 || 532 || 64 || 57 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 14.2 || 8.0 || 22.2 || 2.7 || 2.4
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1995 AFL season|1995]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 10 || 20 || 14 || 8 || 304 || 137 || 441 || 65 || 49 || 0.7 || 0.4 || 15.2 || 6.9 || 22.1 || 3.3 || 2.5
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1996 AFL season|1996]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 10 || 24 || 19 || 15 || 385 || 156 || 541 || 86 || 59 || 0.8 || 0.6 || 16.0 || 6.5 || 22.5 || 3.6 || 2.5
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1997 AFL season|1997]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 10 || 25 || 10 || 7 || 453 || 129 || 582 || 94 || 66 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 18.1 || 5.2 || 23.3 || 3.8 || 2.6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1998 AFL season|1998]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 10 || 25 || 8 || 6 || 442 || 101 || 543 || 90 || 74 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 17.7 || 4.0 || 21.7 || 3.6 || 3.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1999 AFL season|1999]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Kan}}
| 10 || 25 || 12 || 7 || 429 || 117 || 546 || 98 || 72 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 17.2 || 4.7 || 21.8 || 3.9 || 2.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2000 AFL season|2000]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Kan}}
| 10 || 12 || 4 || 4 || 145 || 63 || 208 || 50 || 32 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 12.1 || 5.3 || 17.3 || 4.2 || 2.7
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2001 AFL season|2001]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Kan}}
| 10 || 15 || 1 || 5 || 238 || 104 || 342 || 68 || 71 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 15.9 || 6.9 || 22.8 || 4.5 || 4.7
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2002 AFL season|2002]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Kan}}
| 10 || 19 || 10 || 6 || 276 || 99 || 375 || 85 || 65 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 14.5 || 5.2 || 19.7 || 4.5 || 3.4
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2003 AFL season|2003]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Kan}}
| 10 || 20 || 10 || 8 || 275 || 155 || 430 || 92 || 63 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 13.8 || 7.8 || 21.5 || 4.6 || 3.2
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2004 AFL season|2004]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Kan}}
| 10 || 20 || 5 || 3 || 262 || 109 || 371 || 86 || 52 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 13.1 || 5.5 || 18.6 || 4.3 || 2.6
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 292
! 127
! 112
! 4354
! 1679
! 6033
! 997
! 818
! 0.4
! 0.4
! 14.9
! 5.8
! 20.7
! 3.4
! 2.8
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web|url=http://www.kangaroos.com.au/History/PlayerHistory/AnthonyStevens/tabid/14526/Default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930042825/http://www.kangaroos.com.au/History/PlayerHistory/AnthonyStevens/tabid/14526/Default.aspx|archive-date=30 September 2009|title=Player History: Anthony Stevens}}
*{{AFL Tables|ref=A/Anthony_Stevens.html}}

{{1996 North Melbourne premiership players}}
{{1999 Kangaroos premiership players}}
{{North Melbourne Football Club captains}}
{{North Melbourne Team of The Century}}
{{Syd Barker Medal}}
{{VFL/AFL club best and fairest winners in premiership years}}
{{1998 All-Australian team}}
{{1998 Australian international rules team}}
{{navboxes
| title = Anthony Stevens in Victorian State of Origin teams
| titlestyle = background:#202231; color:white;
| list1 ={{1995 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1996 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1997 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1998 Victoria State of Origin players}}
}}
{{1988 VFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Anthony}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:North Melbourne Football Club players]]
[[Category:North Melbourne Football Club premiership players]]
[[Category:Syd Barker Medal winners]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Victorian State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Caulfield Grammarians Football Club players]]
[[Category:All-Australians (AFL)]]
[[Category:Shepparton Football Club players]]
[[Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Australia international rules football team players]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]