VERY few junior teams can claim to have produced multiple AFL players.

But that’s exactly what Ballarat League club Bacchus Marsh has done this year with three players from the ‘Cobras’ graduating to AFL lists.

Liam Duggan was drafted to West Coast with pick 11, Dillon Viojo-Rainbow to Carlton with pick 28, and now Brenton Payne has become a Saint via selection 37 in the Rookie Draft last week.

The trio have endured their fair share of hardships over the journey, including an incident three years ago which still lingers in the mind of Payne.

“Back in 2011 we were playing a preliminary final against North Ballarat,” Payne recalled to SAINTS.com.au.

“[Teammate] Nathan Prince had an accident on the field and went into cardiac arrest. It was pretty tough circumstances for all of us as 15 and 16 year-old kids.

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It was a testament to the character and resilience of the young playing group that they not only played on, but achieved the ultimate success shortly after, under coach and AFL legend Doug Hawkins.

“A couple of weeks later we went on to win the Grand Final. It was a pretty fitting way to honour Nathan Prince. It was a tough year but pretty rewarding at the same time.

“We went from boys to young men in the space of a few weeks. It is good that my closest mates have found a home at an AFL club as well.”

Prior to jetting off to New Zealand for the Saints’ High Performance training camp, Payne was given a tour around Linen House Centre by Player Welfare Manager Tony Brown which allowed him to meet his childhood hero Nick Riewoldt just hours after the birth of the St Kilda captain’s first child.

“He’s the captain of the footy club and someone I look up to. He was the man I was looking forward to seeing the most, and it was on my first day,” Payne said.

“He’s been my idol from day dot since I started watching the footy. We have similar playing styles so he’s just a great idol for me.”
Like Riewoldt, Payne is an athletic tall forward.


Jack Sinclair and Brenton Payne were on their first day at St Kilda.

Standing at 193cm, he spent the second half of 2014 in defence for the Western Jets.

St Kilda Acting Head of Football Ameet Bains said Payne was a handy inclusion with the club’s third pick at the 2015 Rookie Draft.

"Brenton is a kid who has shown an ability to play strong football this year, despite juggling a lot of different commitments," Bains said.

"With an ability to play forward and back, he offers the club great versatility."

Now in Queenstown with the rest of the playing group, Payne said he was excited to be part of a developing list.

“The club is definitely going places over the next few years,” he said.

“As it’s my first year on the rookie list, I’m just looking forward to giving it a red hot crack. A senior game would be nice but I’m hoping just to play strong footy all year in the VFL.”

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