Australian Football

Burnet Thomas Payne - invariably referred to as ‘Burnie’ - was without doubt one of the all time greats of the Hobart Football Club, and indeed of Tasmanian football in general. He made his league debut for the Tigers as a 16-year-old in 1956, and when he finally retired in 1973 he had played a total of 253 league games, including 15 in the VFL.

Payne's time at Hobart saw him participate in winning Grand Finals in 1959, 1960, 1963 and 1966, win William Leitch Medals in 1965 and 1966, and represent Tasmania on a club record (held jointly with Trevor Leo) 16 occasions, including games at the 1966 and 1969 carnivals. The fact that he won only one club best and fairest award during his career seems, on the face of it, rather surprising, but is really just an indication of the abundance of talent present at Hobart during the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s.

Clever, elusive and with pace to burn, there were few more eye-catching rovers than ‘Burnie’ Payne when he was on song. Many of his best performances came when the stakes were at their highest, such as his best afield displays in the 1963 and 1966 Grand Finals. In 1964 he transferred to the ‘big time’ with St Kilda and enjoyed a fine season, playing 15 VFL games and kicking 27 goals as well as earning frequent mention in dispatches. However, he was forced by family reasons to return home to Tasmania in 1965, thereby depriving the Saints of a potential star, whilst simultaneously giving Tasmanian football fans the rare opportunity of seeing one of the finest footballers in the country playing out his career in their own backyard.

Once his TANFL career was over, ‘Burnie’ Payne spent three seasons as coach of Kingston, which at the time was a member of the Huon Football Association.

His status as one of the greatest ever players in the history of the Hobart Football Club was emphasised just after the turn of the century with his inclusion as first rover in the Tigers’ official ‘Greatest Team 1947 to 2002’.

Author - John Devaney