Wayne Carey cops last minute legend status rejection amid bombshell AFL intervention

AFL great Wayne Carey has found out his elevation to legend status within the game has been rejected at the last moment after chief executive Andrew Dillon stepped in citing the timing of the honour. Carey played 244 games for North Melbourne, before finishing his career at Adelaide. The seven-time All Australian representative is considered a great of the game, but the former superstar has been involved in numerous troubles off the field after his retirement.

The NSW Hall of Fame legend was going to join nine other inductees who were to be granted official legend status. However, the timing of the honour did not sit well with the AFL. This weekend, the AFL is using the games to pay tribute to women who have died through gender-based violence.

And the AFL stepped in with Dillon claiming he called Carey and both agreed it was better for the former player not to be a part of the induction. This is due to former domestic violence allegations against Carey. Dillon claimed the AFL did not object to Carey's Hall of Fame status, but rather cited the timing of the round.

"(On Thursday) afternoon the AFL executive were alerted to the decision by the NSW Hall of Fame committee for Carey to be elevated to legend status," Dillon said in a statement. "We didn't think it was the right decision.

"I called Wayne Carey earlier (on Friday) morning to inform him of this and he agreed that being made a legend would take away from the event and the important focus on the national response to the issue of gender-based violence against women. He also agreed the focus should be on the inaugural inductees and the nine legends of NSW football that will be announced (on Friday night)."

AFL to honour domestic violence victims in weekend's round

In the Thursday night showdown between Port Adelaide and Adelaide, players, senior coaches and umpires linked arms in a circle in the middle of the ground as a symbolic gesture to pay tribute to women who have died through gender-based violence. The same occurred during the Collingwood and Carlton game. This will be carried out throughout the whole round.

West Coast chief Don Pyke wrote to the governing body earlier this week in a heartfelt letter and called for the AFL to make a stand against the public matter. He called for the AFL and clubs to show their support for the cause.

For Carey, his potential elevation to legend status came at a poor time as the AFL were not ready for his inclusion. In a TV interview, Carey spoke about his exposure to domestic violence growing up and how he had treated his partners.

"What my partners will say, I have never been physically abusive - but have I been abusive mentally and, I guess, intimidating? Absolutely," he said. "Actually being physically violent to someone, I saw that every day growing up, the way my dad was with my mum - horrible stuff."

with AAP