Alex McKinnon and wife Teigan are expecting their first child.​

Ex-NRL player Alex McKinnon and his wife, teacher Teigan McKinnon, have today announced that they are expecting their first child.

The couple each shared the news on their Instagram accounts, with Teigan writing, “So overwhelmed with joy to finally announce Baby Mckinnon is coming soon”.

Baby Mckinnon coming soon @teiganmckinnon ❤️.

A post shared by Alex Mckinnon (@alexmmckinnon) on Mar 28, 2018 at 11:12pm PDT

In March 2014, when he was just 22, Alex McKinnon suffered a devastating spinal cord injury which left him a quadriplegic. Just two weeks later, he proposed to long-term partner Teigan, and they were married in October 2017.

Six months after his surgery, Teigan became Alex’s full-time carer. She was just 20 years old at the time.

When announcing their engagement, Alex wrote, “When life throws you struggles respond with a smile”.

“This girl is my soldier, I am truly overwhelmed with the support and wishes from everybody in the rugby league society and the community at large. Your ongoing support will never be forgotten,” he said.

He also promised to stand by her side on their wedding day.

In October of last year, he managed to stand for 45 minutes while he and Teigan read each other their vows and exchanged rings. Before that day, the longest he had been able to stand was 15 minutes.

At the time, Teigan - now 23 - told The Project Alex's feat was "really special".

Despite the injury stopping his career, Alex told the panellists his life was only just beginning.

"Someone said to me the other day that when rugby league finishes, your life starts," he said.

"It definitely has. It's not about me, it's about us.

"I've lost a team in regards to the sporting field, but I've gained a lot stronger team with Teigan. It is just us, it's not anybody else."

And now they'll have a new addition to add to that team.