Tasmanian footballers made a huge impact on St Kilda Football Club in the 1960s.

The names of Baldock, Stewart, Howell, Bingley and Bonney are writ large in St Kilda’s history, but Burnie Payne only crossed Bass Strait for a single season in the red, white and black.

Burnet Thomas Payne, who died on February 25 at the age of 86, had a glittering career in Tasmania both before and after his one year stint with the Saints in 1964.

He instantly slotted into VFL football at the beginning of 1964 and was rated one of the best afield in his Round 1 debut against Essendon at Windy Hill, kicking three goals as a rover and forward pocket. It was no surprise that he adapted so quickly to VFL football as the age of 24 he was already an accomplished and seasoned footballer.

He was a permanent fixture in the Saints line-up and while not fast, he was strongly built and could read the play as a rover, with great goal awareness when in the forward zone. He bagged six goals in one game against South Melbourne and in 15 games scored 27 for the year, just two behind skipper and fellow Tasmanian Darrel Baldock who topped the team’s goalkicking. Burnie never lost his place, missing three games late in the year with a shoulder injury.

At the end of the season it was reported that he was returning to Tasmania for family reasons and later it would be revealed that his wife’s illness was the explanation.

His record prior to joining the Saints had been a rich one. He was a vital part of Hobart Football Club’s “Golden Age" in the 1950s and 1960s making his senior debut at the age of 16 in 1956, and was a member of the Hobart back to back premiership in 1959 and 1960. In 1960 he was also part of the famous triumph over a visiting Victorian side at York Park when he booted two goals including the clincher in a stunning win.

Following a career best 1963 when he played in another Hobart premiership, won the club best-and-fairest and snagged 52 goals to be the club’s leading scorer for the second year in a row, he decided to try his luck at St Kilda .

Upon his return to Tasmania he won the 1965 William Leitch Medal as best player in the TANFL and repeated the effort in 1966 during another Hobart flag year. During 1966 he played for Tasmania in the 1966 National carnival. He would star in another National Carnival in 1969 when he was still a force at the age of 30. In all he played 16 representative matches for Tasmania.

Burnie departed Hobart at the end of 1970 with a record of 238 games and four premierships. He then took up a captain-coach position as coach of  the Kingston Tigers from 1971 to 1973 in the Huon Football Association. Later he was named in the Tasmanian Hall of Fame.  

Vale Saint Burnie.