Jack Payne AFL Finals: Brisbane Lions Defender Reveals Bittersweet Career Turning Point

Former fringe Lion Jack Payne is now regarded by one club icon as the most pivotal player in Brisbane's premiership bid.

In the past year, Jack Payne has gone from a depth key defender to a crucial cog in Brisbane's premiership machine.

The unassuming Noosa native took two years to make his AFL debut and another four to establish himself as a regular member of the Lions' back six.

Now a mainstay in Chris Fagan's defensive system, the 197cm, 101kg giant will play in his 50th AFL game on Saturday against Port Adelaide in a qualifying final.

Payne struggled in the minor leagues for a long time, occasionally making it to the major leagues for a few starts until a returning key defense demoted him.

Payne was previously the next man up on the defensive line, but that changed this year when senior defender Marcus Adams was sidelined for the year due to delayed concussion symptoms, a health problem that ultimately led to Adams' retirement from the Bulldogs.

Payne's path to a starting role wasn't without its share of heartbreak, but he hasn't taken his newfound regularity for granted.

What happened to Marcus is quite upsetting. Payne said to the masthead, "I wish he was still out there playing with us."

"It created a window of opportunity for me, and I grabbed it with both hands," she said.

In all likelihood, by the end of the previous year, I had a good sense that position was mine. That early part of the season really set me up, so all I had to do was have a good preseason and get into shape.

The 23-year-old has risen to prominence this season as Harris Andrews' right hand man, which has helped the Brisbane defense reach new heights.

Because of Payne's strong defensive play, Lions captain Andrews has been freed to become a devastating intercept defender.

Club legend Alastair Lynch has called Payne the "most important player" in Fagan's squad for the way in which he facilitates Andrews' development.

The relationship between Payne and the Lions, which began in the Lions Academy and has flourished since his 2018 draft, is crucial.

Payne said, "I never really had too much to do with Harris because he was three or four years older than me," but now that they are both established Zwith the Lions, Payne considers Harris to be an inspiration.

When we play, we have so much fun. He's an exceptional human being and sportsman. This season, he was nominated for selection to the All-Australian team, which is a fantastic honor.

Harris's ability to drift across the field and make a timely interception is a major strength. On the pitch, I think we work well together. When one of us needs to hold the fort and the other can try to make the intercept, we know exactly what to do.

Key defenders that can be counted on are extremely valuable in football, and the Lions realised by midseason that they had one.

In August, the club and Payne happily extended his contract by five years, a testament to Payne's standing at the Lions.

More than half of the Sunshine Coast native's life will have been spent with the Lions by the time his contract expires at the end of 2029.

He has emerged as a key cog in Brisbane's premiership hopes.

And he's aware that the Lions' defense has been discussed extensively in the lead-up to the playoffs.

Brisbane has one of the most potent forward lines in the league and perhaps the greatest midfield in the league. The Lions' defense, on the other hand, has been average at best in 2023.

No longer are points allowed exclusively because of the fault of the defensive unit. Payne, though, has not let this deter him from making notes on the criticism.

To paraphrase, "You can't help but hear the outside noise," he said.

The media may spread rumors like that, but we insiders know the truth.

Looking at the numbers, it's clear that we made significant strides defensively over the summer.

2003 Norm Smith Medalist and fellow Lions legend Simon Black thinks the defense will be tested in September and has urged the club to step it up if they want to win the championship.

Payne is the focal point of a revamped defensive unit for Brisbane that can switch from defense to offense on the fly.

Payne, Andrews, and re-energized veteran Ryan Lester's aerial prowess have blended in well with the electrifying pace of Darcy Wilmot and Conor McKenna from halfback, the destructive left boot of Keidean Coleman, and the uber-consistency of Brandon Starcevich.

With only a handful of combined game absences from their starting positions, Brisbane's backline is among the most consistent in the AFL this season.

Payne thinks they'll be fine no matter what happens in the football playoffs because of their reliability.

The "synergy" we were able to build "out there" will help us, he asserted confidently.

As one player put it, "Having seven or eight players rotate through there this year has been great." "At the end of last year, we had 14 or 15 players roll through the backline due to COVID and injuries, so to have seven or eight rotate through there this year has been great."

Lynch and Black aren't the only club legends who are confident in Brisbane's September chances.

The club's recent Hall of Fame evening doubled as a 2003 Premiership reunion, and it was clear that the alums were optimistic about the next 2023 season.

Amid the celebration of past championships were not-so-subtle reminders to the current Lions that this is their chance to return Brisbane to its rightful place at the top of the AFL.

Payne claimed that the team's motivation was boosted by hearing the dreams of legends past about winning a championship this year.

Saying that "it was obviously nice to hear their comments and know they believe in us," he continued, "was a huge boost."

We feel a little pressure to show appreciation for our members and donors today, I suppose. Twenty years is a long time to wait between premierships.

After hearing what those men had to say that night, I realised how similar the 2003 squad was to the current one. They talked about the fraternity they had, and I can definitely feel that among us right now.

I immediately thought of our group after hearing Jonathan Brown and Mal Michael talk about how powerful theirs was 20 years ago.

Despite the heavy expectations placed on them, the Lions seem unfazed. Not many people are as good at it as Payne.

The difference between success and failure is exponentially larger, and the stakes are much higher. But he's still that easygoing Noosa kid at heart, living out his goal of playing AFL for his favorite team.

Payne plans to do all in his power over the next month to earn back the fans' trust and bring Brisbane its first premiership in 20 years.