Aaron Payne was born on 18 November 1982 and is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Townsville Blackhawks in the Intrust Super Cup.
18 Facts About Aaron Payne
1.
2.
In 1999, while playing for Centrals, Aaron Payne represented the Queensland under-17 team, starting at halfback in a loss to New South Wales.
3.
In 2003, Aaron Payne represented the Queensland Residents team and played four NRL games, scoring two tries.
4.
In 2004, after a permanent move to hooker, Aaron Payne became a regular in the Cowboys' side.
5.
Aaron Payne played 25 games that season, including the club's first ever finals appearances.
6.
Aaron Payne's form earned him a spot in Queensland's Emerging Origin squad for the first time.
7.
In 2008, in what was a poor season for the Cowboys, Aaron Payne won the Paul Bowman Medal for the second time and received the Players' Player and Club Person of the Year awards.
8.
The injury occurred in a Round 17 win over the Cronulla Sharks, in which Aaron Payne was playing his 150th NRL game.
9.
In 2010, Aaron Payne played 21 games for the club, missing three weeks due to an ankle injury.
10.
Aaron Payne is often considered an underrated player, operating in the shadows of high-profile Cowboys players such as Johnathan Thurston and Matt Bowen.
11.
Aaron Payne was a late call-up by All Stars' coach Wayne Bennett for the injured Cameron Smith.
12.
On 1 August 2012, Aaron Payne announced that he would retire at the end of the season.
13.
Aaron Payne was injured in the match and missed the rest of the Cowboys finals campaign.
14.
In 2014, Aaron Payne became the head coach of the Cowboys' Academy program, mentoring players from squads in Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton and Brisbane.
15.
Aaron Payne coached the side for two seasons, taking them to the finals in both years, before the competition was ended.
16.
Aaron Payne coached the side to a 3rd place finish in his first season in charge.
17.
On 21 July 2020, Aaron Payne returned to the Cowboys, joining as an assistant coach for the remainder of the 2020 NRL season.
18.
Aaron Payne returned to the Blackhawks in 2021 as the Head Coach, where he took the club to a 7th placed finish.