[1][2] Payne was born and raised on the Sunshine Coast[3] where he attended St Andrews Anglican College throughout his upbringing.
[5][6] At the age of 13, Payne was selected to join the Brisbane Lions Academy after a talent scout caught notice of him playing school football.
[8][9][4] In 2017, Payne represented the Allies in the AFL Under 18 Championships, where he played two games and averaged 9.5 disposals per match.
[10] Payne played 18 games for the Brisbane Lions in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) in 2019, but was unable to break into the side.
[14] Payne was part of the Brisbane Lions 2024 premiership winning team, in a 60 point victory over the Sydney Swans.