Sadly, Sally had already found her marriage under pressure a few weeks before their beautiful daughter Ella Grace was born.
She and Wayne had discovered photographers lurking about trying to get pictures of them after there were rumours Wayne had been seen out with a model.

It wasn't the first time Sally had to cope with heartbreaking stories of her husband having an affair. Five years ago, one of the biggest scandals ever rocked the AFL world when Wayne had an affair with his vice-captain Anthony Steven's wife Kelli, who was one of Sally's close friends.

When stories began circulating that Wayne had been at Crown Casino with blonde Kate Neilson, a former Fosters Grid Girl contestant, about the time Sally was due to give birth, Sally says she simply didn't have time to deal with this information.

She was focusing all her attention on the impending birth.
She may have had her heart broken, but Sally dealt with the first scandal with a quiet dignity that showed how strong she could be. And she says despite the pain she endured, she in no way regrets taking Wayne back.

'I had the most wonderful pregnancy and I couldn't have been happier,' Sally tells New Idea in our world-exclusive interview, revealing gorgeous baby Ella Grace to the world for the first time. 'There weren't two more excited parents-to-be than Wayne and I throughout my pregnancy.

'Wayne took me to the hospital at 4am and stayed with me for the entire birth.' He was a very proud father during and after the birth, sending Sally two dozen pink roses and a beautiful card. He also visited the hospital every day. 'He gave Ella her first bath,' Sally says. 'Wayne and I hadn't separated at this point - we were focused on our beautiful daughter at that time.'

Sally acknowledges now she had been dealing with a number of 'issues' of Wayne womanising near the end of her pregnancy.
'We were aware the media were following our every move and were constantly camped outside our house. This only added more pressure to the situation leading up to the birth. But I made a conscious decision not to risk or jeopardise our baby's health, but to wait until after the birth.

And it was only after Sally gave birth to the couple's beautiful baby Ella in January last year that she decided she couldn't forgive Wayne for betraying her trust, and their 14-year relationship and tumultuous seven-year marriage collapsed.
'There was no major argument that spelt the end of our marriage,' Sally says. 'I went home with Wayne for a couple of weeks, but then took Ella and went to my parents place in Wagga,' Sally explains.

Wayne came to Wagga to talk to Sally, but they couldn't resolve their difficulties and Wayne's management issued a statement saying Wayne and Sally had separated. Sally was staying with her parents, and when reporters asked if she was likely to forgive Wayne, her father Terry McMahon retorted: 'He wouldn't want to show his face around here or he'll be leaving in a box!'

'I don't think there's any such thing as a good split,' Sally says. 'It was awful, of course, and it's sad, very sad. The life you planned and talked about is no longer. It's a total readjustment. But I felt far worse for Ella.

'I don't think anyone would set out to destroy a marriage - especially when a child's on the way. What happened was certainly not ideal, nor was the timing. But when you're talking separation, I guess there really is no ideal time.

'In a lot of ways I guess it was good that Ella is so young and was such a great baby and such a great sleeper. It would have been harder if I had a tantrum-throwing toddler on my hands.' Sally says Wayne's betrayals left her devastated, but she refused to be a victim.

'Of course you get disappointed, angry - you go through all those emotions - but I don't think it's healthy to stay feeling that way,' she says. 'You have to work through those feelings. I think it's healthy to deal with them and recognise each stage of the process. 'I don't think it's healthy long term to stay in the bitter cycle. Even if you feel that on certain days, you just have to stop and think: 'What good is this doing anyone?'

'I don't want that for Ella,' Sally adds. 'I don't want her to think like that. I don't want to set that example for her. And it's all about her - making her life easier.' Sally believes Wayne when he says the birth of now 17-month-old Ella was the greatest moment of his life. 'Obviously, Wayne sees her and loves her,' she says. 'He adores her and I'm grateful for that. It was the highlight of my life and I'm sure his as well. And that's fine. Wayne's Ella's dad. But that doesn't have any bearing on what he was like as a husband. They're two different areas.

'Wayne sees Ella very regularly,' Sally says. 'We have set days and times, but if we have things on, we make alternative arrangements we feel are in Ella's best interests. I don't persuade my daughter one way or the other about what has happened with her parents separating, and I never will. She will grow up and have her own thoughts about that. At the end of the day, Wayne and I have to have a parental relationship and I am concerned that be as agreeable as possible.

'He's an obliging dad, he loves and spoils her. I hope they have a great relationship.' Sally says many people comment on Ella's amazing likeness to her dad. 'But from day one, Wayne would tell people Ella looked like me - at that age!'

Like any separated couples, birthdays and Christmas can prove to be minefields, but the pair handled Ella's first birthday with the little girl's best interests at heart.

'We had a party in Wagga for family and friends, and another party in Melbourne,' Sally says. 'Wayne saw her on her birthday, and also attended her party in Melbourne. Ella had a lovely day and that's what's important to me.' Sally and Wayne are still working through the final stages of their financial settlement.

Neither has filed for divorce. But asked if she would 'never say never' about the possibility of them reconciling again, Sally says: 'It's not even a consideration. What was important for me was to be able to live my life the way I wanted to and to bring up Ella with the morals and ethics and sense of respect I consider important.

'What sort of an example would I be setting for her if I was prepared to stay in a dysfunctional relationship? If I did that I would not only be compromising my own happiness, but I think it would also be detrimental in the long run for Ella.

'I wouldn't wish separation of any sort on anybody. People say things happen for a reason. I'm not totally convinced of that. Only time will tell, I guess. I'd be lying if I said I was less trusting now,' Sally says.

Still, Sally doesn't regret for one moment her decision to take Wayne back after his initial affair with Kelli. 'If I hadn't, I wouldn't have Ella and she's such a joy - the greatest thing that has ever happened to me,' she says.

Despite enduring an extremely painful marriage break-up, this impressive and assured young woman is not opposed to having more children. 'I'd have no hesitation doing it again - with the right person,' she says.

'I have plenty of people telling me they have brothers or cousins I should really meet. But that's not something I've actively pursued. It would be nice if and when it happens. I know plenty of guys so it's unfair to say all men are the same.'

After her maternity leave, Sally has returned to her career as senior tax manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, working three days a week so she can spend the rest of the time with Ella.

'In a lot of ways, Ella has contributed to my strength in dealing with the break-up of my marriage. Because she's totally dependent on me, I couldn't just collapse and say I wasn't going to get out of bed. I've had to be there for her.'

By Patrice Fidgeon

photo by Ross Coffey