915:
880:
845:
810:
775:
740:
705:
670:
635:
600:
565:
357:
In 2008, in what was a poor season for the
Cowboys, Payne won the Paul Bowman Medal for the second time and also received the Players' Player and Club Person of the Year awards. In 2009, Payne played just 16 games due to injury. The injury occurred in a
301:
In 1999, while playing for
Centrals, Payne represented the Queensland under-17 team, starting at halfback in a loss to New South Wales. In 2001, he represented the Queensland under-19 team, coming off the bench in a 28–14 win over the Blues.
476:
He returned to the
Blackhawks in 2021 as the Head Coach, where he took the club to a 7th placed finish. The side fell outside of the eight the following season, finishing 10th on the ladder with 7 wins and 2 draws (10 losses).
427:. Payne was injured in the match and missed the rest of the Cowboys finals campaign. For his contribution to the Cowboys, Payne was awarded a life membership with the club, the fourth person at the time to receive the honour.
1601:
1272:
385:
has described Payne as the "glue" that holds the
Cowboys together. In 2011, he re-signed with the Cowboys for a further season as the club made the finals for the first time in four seasons.
366:, in which Payne was playing his 150th NRL game. The injury ruled him out for the season. In 2010, Payne played 21 games for the club, missing three weeks due to an ankle injury.
469:. He coached the side to a 3rd place finish in his first season in charge. On 21 July 2020, Payne returned to the Cowboys, joining as an assistant coach for the remainder of the
1731:
1594:
1170:
1587:
328:, Payne became a regular in the Cowboys' side. He played 25 games that season, including the club's first ever finals appearances. His form earned him a spot in
1736:
1427:
1711:
455:
1706:
1701:
1359:
510:
501:
492:
405:
318:
419:. On 1 August 2012, Payne announced that he would retire at the end of the season. His final game was an 33–16 elimination final win over the
908:
873:
838:
803:
768:
733:
698:
663:
628:
593:
558:
397:
332:
1566:
1021:
1290:
1726:
1327:
1188:
1152:
1716:
1452:
1223:
1721:
1647:
1332:
401:
290:
1488:
1655:
458:
side. He coached the side for two seasons, taking them to the finals in both years, before the competition was ended.
346:. In 2006, he won the Paul Bowman Medal, the Cowboys Player of the Year award, for the first time. In Round 18 of the
310:
1408:
1624:
1228:
435:
In 2014, Payne became the head coach of the
Cowboys' Academy program, mentoring players from squads in Townsville,
1470:
1254:
369:
Payne is often considered an underrated player, operating in the shadows of high-profile
Cowboys players such as
1506:
1610:
1538:
1196:
979:
918:
883:
848:
813:
778:
743:
708:
673:
638:
603:
568:
286:
282:
266:
149:
1308:
1053:
444:
1696:
1121:
314:
278:
97:
56:
388:
On 4 February 2012, Payne earned the first senior representative honour of his career when he started at
1524:
462:
424:
389:
325:
262:
254:
93:
20:
1691:
990:
378:
339:
1126:
1058:
1642:
440:
436:
393:
370:
329:
212:
1552:
1102:
1084:
258:
1390:
1002:
1364:
1026:
420:
351:
914:
879:
844:
809:
774:
739:
704:
669:
634:
599:
564:
470:
416:
412:
363:
359:
347:
306:
1579:
1660:
466:
1685:
1632:
415:, Payne played his 200th NRL game, the third Cowboy to do so, in a 18–42 loss to the
382:
1670:
1369:
1337:
1233:
1200:
1131:
1063:
1031:
343:
250:
1665:
374:
60:
281:, Payne played his junior rugby league for the Central Tigers and attended
448:
309:, Payne made his NRL debut for the Cowboys in a 40–32 win over the
338:
In 2005, Payne played all 28 games for the
Cowboys, including the
253:
coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the
465:, signing a two-year contract. He replaced inaugural head coach
1583:
454:
On 20 November 2015, he was named as head coach of the club's
313:. In his rookie season, he played five games, starting one at
350:, Payne played his 100th NRL game in a 16–24 loss to the
1567:"Payne returns as assistant coach for remainder of 2020"
461:
On 28 September 2018, he was named as head coach of the
1224:"Sam Thaiday Broncos best; Aaron Payne No.1 at Cowboys"
1022:"Aaron Payne is a north Queenslander to his bootstraps"
1153:"Players unlucky not to have worn the Maroons jersey"
1273:"Aaron Payne the heart and soul of North Queensland"
1428:"Aaron Payne finally gets his rep team break at 30"
321:team and played four NRL games, scoring two tries.
89:
81:
73:
66:
40:
33:
1171:"Cowboys side better than 2005 Grand Final team"
511:North Queensland Cowboys Club Person of the Year
400:. Payne was a late call-up by All Stars' coach
1360:"Cowboys season over when Aaron Payne injured"
1595:
8:
28:
16:Australian rugby league footballer and coach
1732:People educated at Kirwan State High School
1453:"Payne proud of 200 NRL games with Cowboys"
1602:
1588:
1580:
1489:"Injury signals the end for injured Payne"
528:
27:
1291:"Gutsy Cowboys suffer triple injury blow"
289:. His father, Mark, played two games for
249:(born 18 November 1982) is an Australian
502:North Queensland Cowboys Players' Player
972:
941:
265:, he played his entire career for the
7:
1737:Rugby league players from Townsville
1426:McDonald, Margie (3 February 2012).
1409:"NRL All-Stars call up Cowboy Payne"
1120:Stewart, Antony (15 December 2007).
1020:Marshall, Matt (21 September 2007).
1507:"Life membership for club chairman"
1189:"Honours: North Queensland Cowboys"
324:In 2004, after a permanent move to
197:
134:
1539:"NYC roll call for finals destiny"
1471:"Payne to retire at end of season"
1326:Walshaw, Nick (8 September 2007).
342:, in which they lost 16–30 to the
14:
1358:Tallis, Gorden (25 August 2009).
317:. In 2003, Payne represented the
85:86 kg (13 st 8 lb)
77:175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
1712:North Queensland Cowboys players
1391:"Payne re-signs for season 2012"
1052:Stewart, Antony (7 March 2008).
913:
878:
843:
808:
773:
738:
703:
668:
633:
598:
563:
1707:Australian rugby league players
1702:Australian rugby league coaches
1309:"Payne out for up to six weeks"
1222:Davis, Greg (11 October 2008).
1054:"Payne out to regain authority"
19:For the American sprinter, see
202:
182:
139:
119:
1:
1003:"Legend Q&A: Aaron Payne"
192:
187:
129:
124:
396:in their 36–28 win over the
1525:"Payne appointed NYC coach"
311:St George Illawarra Dragons
285:before being signed by the
1753:
481:Achievements and accolades
335:squad for the first time.
18:
1620:
1457:The Sydney Morning Herald
1413:The Sydney Morning Herald
1295:The Sydney Morning Herald
942:
907:
872:
837:
802:
767:
732:
697:
662:
627:
592:
557:
237:
170:
107:
103:
1612:North Queensland Cowboys
1571:North Queensland Cowboys
1511:North Queensland Cowboys
1197:North Queensland Cowboys
552:
549:
546:
543:
540:
537:
534:
531:
287:North Queensland Cowboys
283:Kirwan State High School
267:North Queensland Cowboys
1553:"More Payne, More Gain"
1255:"NRL Preview: Round 18"
1727:Rugby league halfbacks
1328:"The forgotten Cowboy"
279:Townsville, Queensland
57:Townsville, Queensland
1717:NRL All Stars players
1122:"Payne's flag pledge"
463:Townsville Blackhawks
425:Dairy Farmers Stadium
255:Townsville Blackhawks
21:Aaron Payne (athlete)
1722:Rugby league hookers
1555:. 28 September 2018.
1495:. 13 September 2012.
1397:. 21 September 2011.
398:Indigenous All Stars
340:2005 NRL Grand Final
319:Queensland Residents
35:Personal information
1541:. 5 September 2017.
1527:. 20 November 2015.
1513:. 26 February 2016.
1333:The Daily Telegraph
1127:Townsville Bulletin
1059:Townsville Bulletin
305:In Round 12 of the
68:Playing information
30:
1643:Johnathan Thurston
1415:. 26 January 2012.
1203:on 12 October 2011
1109:. 26 October 2017.
1091:. 25 October 2017.
1009:. 4 December 2019.
411:In Round 6 of the
371:Johnathan Thurston
1679:
1678:
965:
964:
493:Paul Bowman Medal
259:Intrust Super Cup
244:
243:
233:
232:
150:North Qld Cowboys
1744:
1652:Laurence Lancini
1613:
1604:
1597:
1590:
1581:
1575:
1574:
1563:
1557:
1556:
1549:
1543:
1542:
1535:
1529:
1528:
1521:
1515:
1514:
1503:
1497:
1496:
1485:
1479:
1478:
1477:. 1 August 2012.
1467:
1461:
1460:
1449:
1443:
1442:
1440:
1438:
1423:
1417:
1416:
1405:
1399:
1398:
1387:
1381:
1380:
1378:
1376:
1365:The Courier-Mail
1355:
1349:
1348:
1346:
1344:
1323:
1317:
1316:
1315:. 13 April 2020.
1305:
1299:
1298:
1287:
1281:
1280:
1279:. 25 April 2011.
1277:The Courier Mail
1269:
1263:
1262:
1251:
1245:
1244:
1242:
1240:
1219:
1213:
1212:
1210:
1208:
1199:. Archived from
1185:
1179:
1178:
1175:The Courier Mail
1167:
1161:
1160:
1149:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1138:
1117:
1111:
1110:
1099:
1093:
1092:
1081:
1075:
1074:
1072:
1070:
1049:
1043:
1042:
1040:
1038:
1027:The Courier-Mail
1017:
1011:
1010:
999:
993:
988:
982:
977:
919:North Queensland
917:
884:North Queensland
882:
849:North Queensland
847:
814:North Queensland
812:
779:North Queensland
777:
744:North Queensland
742:
709:North Queensland
707:
674:North Queensland
672:
639:North Queensland
637:
604:North Queensland
602:
569:North Queensland
567:
529:
421:Brisbane Broncos
404:for the injured
352:Brisbane Broncos
204:
199:
194:
189:
184:
141:
136:
131:
126:
121:
105:
104:
54:
51:18 November 1982
50:
48:
31:
1752:
1751:
1747:
1746:
1745:
1743:
1742:
1741:
1682:
1681:
1680:
1675:
1616:
1611:
1608:
1578:
1573:. 21 July 2020.
1565:
1564:
1560:
1551:
1550:
1546:
1537:
1536:
1532:
1523:
1522:
1518:
1505:
1504:
1500:
1487:
1486:
1482:
1469:
1468:
1464:
1459:. 4 April 2012.
1451:
1450:
1446:
1436:
1434:
1425:
1424:
1420:
1407:
1406:
1402:
1389:
1388:
1384:
1374:
1372:
1357:
1356:
1352:
1342:
1340:
1325:
1324:
1320:
1307:
1306:
1302:
1289:
1288:
1284:
1271:
1270:
1266:
1261:. 13 July 2018.
1253:
1252:
1248:
1238:
1236:
1229:The Sunday Mail
1221:
1220:
1216:
1206:
1204:
1187:
1186:
1182:
1177:. 29 July 2015.
1169:
1168:
1164:
1159:. 27 July 2019.
1151:
1150:
1146:
1136:
1134:
1119:
1118:
1114:
1101:
1100:
1096:
1083:
1082:
1078:
1068:
1066:
1051:
1050:
1046:
1036:
1034:
1019:
1018:
1014:
1001:
1000:
996:
989:
985:
978:
974:
970:
527:
522:
488:
483:
471:2020 NRL season
433:
431:Coaching career
417:Melbourne Storm
413:2012 NRL season
364:Cronulla Sharks
348:2007 NRL season
333:Emerging Origin
307:2002 NRL season
299:
275:
240:
171:Representative
69:
55:
52:
46:
44:
36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1750:
1748:
1740:
1739:
1734:
1729:
1724:
1719:
1714:
1709:
1704:
1699:
1694:
1684:
1683:
1677:
1676:
1674:
1673:
1668:
1663:
1661:Jake Granville
1658:
1653:
1650:
1645:
1640:
1635:
1630:
1629:Barry Buchanan
1627:
1621:
1618:
1617:
1609:
1607:
1606:
1599:
1592:
1584:
1577:
1576:
1558:
1544:
1530:
1516:
1498:
1480:
1462:
1444:
1432:The Australian
1418:
1400:
1382:
1350:
1318:
1300:
1297:. 5 July 2009.
1282:
1264:
1246:
1214:
1193:cowboys.com.au
1180:
1162:
1144:
1112:
1094:
1076:
1044:
1012:
994:
983:
971:
969:
966:
963:
962:
959:
956:
953:
950:
947:
944:
943:Career totals
940:
939:
936:
933:
930:
927:
924:
921:
911:
905:
904:
901:
898:
895:
892:
889:
886:
876:
870:
869:
866:
863:
860:
857:
854:
851:
841:
835:
834:
831:
828:
825:
822:
819:
816:
806:
800:
799:
796:
793:
790:
787:
784:
781:
771:
765:
764:
761:
758:
755:
752:
749:
746:
736:
730:
729:
726:
723:
720:
717:
714:
711:
701:
695:
694:
691:
688:
685:
682:
679:
676:
666:
660:
659:
656:
653:
650:
647:
644:
641:
631:
625:
624:
621:
618:
615:
612:
609:
606:
596:
590:
589:
586:
583:
580:
577:
574:
571:
561:
555:
554:
551:
548:
545:
542:
539:
536:
533:
526:
523:
521:
518:
517:
516:
507:
498:
487:
484:
482:
479:
467:Kristian Woolf
432:
429:
298:
297:Playing career
295:
274:
271:
261:. Primarily a
242:
241:
238:
235:
234:
231:
230:
227:
224:
221:
218:
215:
210:
206:
205:
200:
195:
190:
185:
180:
177:
173:
172:
168:
167:
164:
161:
158:
155:
152:
147:
143:
142:
137:
132:
127:
122:
117:
114:
110:
109:
101:
100:
91:
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
75:
71:
70:
67:
64:
63:
42:
38:
37:
34:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1749:
1738:
1735:
1733:
1730:
1728:
1725:
1723:
1720:
1718:
1715:
1713:
1710:
1708:
1705:
1703:
1700:
1698:
1697:Living people
1695:
1693:
1690:
1689:
1687:
1672:
1669:
1667:
1664:
1662:
1659:
1657:
1654:
1651:
1649:
1648:Matthew Scott
1646:
1644:
1641:
1639:
1636:
1634:
1633:Matthew Bowen
1631:
1628:
1626:
1623:
1622:
1619:
1614:
1605:
1600:
1598:
1593:
1591:
1586:
1585:
1582:
1572:
1568:
1562:
1559:
1554:
1548:
1545:
1540:
1534:
1531:
1526:
1520:
1517:
1512:
1508:
1502:
1499:
1494:
1490:
1484:
1481:
1476:
1472:
1466:
1463:
1458:
1454:
1448:
1445:
1433:
1429:
1422:
1419:
1414:
1410:
1404:
1401:
1396:
1392:
1386:
1383:
1371:
1367:
1366:
1361:
1354:
1351:
1339:
1335:
1334:
1329:
1322:
1319:
1314:
1310:
1304:
1301:
1296:
1292:
1286:
1283:
1278:
1274:
1268:
1265:
1260:
1256:
1250:
1247:
1235:
1231:
1230:
1225:
1218:
1215:
1202:
1198:
1194:
1190:
1184:
1181:
1176:
1172:
1166:
1163:
1158:
1154:
1148:
1145:
1133:
1129:
1128:
1123:
1116:
1113:
1108:
1104:
1098:
1095:
1090:
1086:
1080:
1077:
1065:
1061:
1060:
1055:
1048:
1045:
1033:
1029:
1028:
1023:
1016:
1013:
1008:
1004:
998:
995:
992:
987:
984:
981:
976:
973:
967:
960:
957:
954:
951:
948:
945:
937:
934:
931:
928:
925:
922:
920:
916:
912:
910:
906:
902:
899:
896:
893:
890:
887:
885:
881:
877:
875:
871:
867:
864:
861:
858:
855:
852:
850:
846:
842:
840:
836:
832:
829:
826:
823:
820:
817:
815:
811:
807:
805:
801:
797:
794:
791:
788:
785:
782:
780:
776:
772:
770:
766:
762:
759:
756:
753:
750:
747:
745:
741:
737:
735:
731:
727:
724:
721:
718:
715:
712:
710:
706:
702:
700:
696:
692:
689:
686:
683:
680:
677:
675:
671:
667:
665:
661:
657:
654:
651:
648:
645:
642:
640:
636:
632:
630:
626:
622:
619:
616:
613:
610:
607:
605:
601:
597:
595:
591:
587:
584:
581:
578:
575:
572:
570:
566:
562:
560:
556:
530:
524:
519:
514:
512:
508:
505:
503:
499:
496:
494:
490:
489:
485:
480:
478:
474:
472:
468:
464:
459:
457:
452:
450:
446:
442:
438:
430:
428:
426:
422:
418:
414:
409:
407:
406:Cameron Smith
403:
402:Wayne Bennett
399:
395:
394:NRL All Stars
391:
386:
384:
383:Gorden Tallis
380:
376:
372:
367:
365:
362:win over the
361:
355:
353:
349:
345:
341:
336:
334:
331:
327:
322:
320:
316:
312:
308:
303:
296:
294:
292:
288:
284:
280:
272:
270:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
236:
228:
225:
222:
219:
216:
214:
213:NRL All Stars
211:
208:
207:
201:
196:
191:
186:
181:
178:
175:
174:
169:
165:
162:
159:
156:
153:
151:
148:
145:
144:
138:
133:
128:
123:
118:
115:
112:
111:
106:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
65:
62:
58:
53:(age 41)
43:
39:
32:
26:
22:
1671:Gavin Cooper
1656:Scott Bolton
1637:
1615:Life Members
1570:
1561:
1547:
1533:
1519:
1510:
1501:
1492:
1483:
1474:
1465:
1456:
1447:
1435:. Retrieved
1431:
1421:
1412:
1403:
1394:
1385:
1375:20 September
1373:. Retrieved
1370:News Limited
1363:
1353:
1343:20 September
1341:. Retrieved
1338:News Limited
1331:
1321:
1312:
1303:
1294:
1285:
1276:
1267:
1258:
1249:
1239:20 September
1237:. Retrieved
1234:News Limited
1227:
1217:
1205:. Retrieved
1201:the original
1192:
1183:
1174:
1165:
1156:
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1625:Paul Bowman
1395:Zero Tackle
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247:Aaron Payne
29:Aaron Payne
1686:Categories
1666:Kyle Feldt
1437:4 February
1207:30 October
980:Herald Sun
968:References
547:GK %
520:Statistics
497:2006, 2008
486:Individual
379:Australian
375:Matt Bowen
291:Queensland
273:Background
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377:. Former
293:in 1979.
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456:under-20
449:Brisbane
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360:Round 17
315:halfback
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146:2002–12
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1103:"2001"
1085:"1999"
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515:2008
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