Anthony Stevens has made his peace with Wayne Carey. One of football's most enduring and painful schisms was brought to a close at Arden Street on Thursday after more than 14 years when the two men shook hands and agreed to put the club and their teammates ahead of their painful past.

While the two men will never again be close friends it is understood that the hand shake ended a meaningful, productive 15-minute conversation initiated by Stevens. A close associate of the pair reported that Stevens accepted that Carey remained truly sorry for the events that led to his departure from the club.

Wayne Carey and Anthony Stevens as teammates, after the 1996 Grand Final won by North Melbourne. Credit:Colin Murty

Both agreed to put an end to the awkwardness and bitterness that has clouded every celebration of the great Kangaroos era in which they took part. They also settled the issue of Carey's alleged lack of apology revealed by Stevens on Fox Footy's Open Mike last year.

Friends told Fairfax Media that while Carey had apologised to Stevens years ago for his extra marital affair the Kangaroos dual premiership captain now accepted he had not pushed the issue of saying sorry hard enough.