By RUSSELL BENNETT
ONE of the most famous surnames in west Gippsland footy is set for a return to the Garfield senior list in 2015, and will inflict as much scoreboard Payne on the Stars’ opponents as possible.
In case that not-so-subtle hint didn’t give it away – Murray Payne’s Garfield legacy is set to be continued by two of his sons Tyson and Darcy, who have made the move down from the Glenmore Bulls in Queensland’s AFL Capricornia competition.
And they’re hell-bent on making a mark in their own right on the Ellinbank league, which they’re expecting to be a sizeable step up in intensity from what they’ve got used to.
Tyson, the elder of the two at 24-years-of-age, is a bona-fide star of the league up north. A two-time league best-and-fairest winner, he has captained the Rockhampton-based Glenmore over the past three seasons – this year guiding the Bulls to their first senior premiership in 24 years.
“To get that premiership and get the monkey off the back was probably the main reason why I’m leaving now,” he told the Gazette.
“If we hadn’t have won there probably would have been that unfinished business.
“I owe a lot to the club but I thought once we won that premiership I could move on.”
“I just feel like it’s time to move on and look for bigger and better things. I really want to test myself.”
Tyson is an in-and-under ball winner with plenty of speed and a big boot, while 22-year-old Darcy has what Tyson describes as “one of the best kicking styles you’ll see.
“He’s a utility player who can go through the middle and up forward,” he said.
The boys are under no illusion – they know their father’s reputation precedes them at Beswick Street.
“Even just walking around the rooms you see photos of him everywhere so there’s a bit of hype there already and a few expectations, but we’re different players to dad and everyone will come to see that,” Tyson said.
“Hopefully we can make a name for ourselves and do him proud.
“We’d talk to him after every game and he’d tell us what we’d done right and what we’d done wrong. He’d give us plenty of pointers but in terms of us moving down to Garfield, he’s never really pushed it.
“He’s always talked about how good it would be but whatever direction we went in he was always happy.”
Still, there was no hiding Murray’s excitement when he heard of the boys’ big move.
“He’s already booked his flights!” beamed Tyson.
“He’ll be down for our third match when we play Nar Nar Goon because there’s a bit of history there.”
Murray’s sister Michelle became Nar Nar Goon royalty after marrying one of the club’s greats, Nick Collins.
But the Ellinbank and District Football League connection doesn’t stop there. Murray’s brother, Ray, is a Cora Lynn stalwart and his son Tim – Tyson and Darcy’s cousin – is the Cobras’ senior skipper. In fact, there’s a better than even chance that Darcy and Tim might find themselves matched up on each other at some stage when the Stars and Cobras collide in 2015.
Murray is a three-time senior premiership player with the Stars, including as captain-coach in 1993. He played at full-forward, centre-half back and in the midfield in those premierships – just proving his versatility.
He was recognised as a big-game player who always performed when it came crunch time in the finals. He kicked seven goals as a 19-year-old in the 1983 premiership win over Drouin, for example.
Murray was always one of the first picked for interleague and was captain multiple times. He made his mark as a tough half-back flanker for Frankston for two years in the VFA in 1987 and 1988 before taking on a role as an assistant coach at Cora Lynn in 1989-90. His job as a quarry manager led to him moving the family to Rockhampton in 1997.
