By David Nagel
Cora Lynn will celebrate one of its great legends this week when the Cobras roll out the welcome mat for Kooweerup with three-time premiership skipper Tim Payne set to equal the club’s games record.
Payne will play his 319th game, joining life member and Cobras legend Bill Van Diemen at the top of the esteemed list.
Payne’s connection with Cora Lynn goes back to 1991, when as a three-year-old he ran out alongside his dad Ray – captain-coach at the time – as the club mascot for the grand final against Drouin.
Payne played in a 2006 reserves premiership and was a borderline selection in his first senior success in 2008.
He consolidated his position over the next four years, being vice-captain to his close friend James Bradshaw, before taking over the senior captaincy in 2013.
The Cobras would suffer their third-consecutive preliminary final defeat at the hands of Garfield in 2013, those defeats following grand final losses to Nilma-Darnum and Nar Nar Goon in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
The introduction of a new coach in 2014 in Travis Marsham – with fresh wounds of his own – provided even further motivation to finally get the job done.
“Travis Marsham came from Gembrook after losing three grand finals himself, along with David Main, who was his assistant-coach, Ricky Clark and Nathan Muratore; plus, we had a significant portion of players at Cora Lynn who had come close as well,” Payne said.
“He (Marsham) told us all to make sure you tick every box so when you line up alongside your opponent on grand final day you can look him in the eye and know that you’ve worked harder than he has, and know you’re in a better position to succeed than what he is.
“He explained the confidence that can fill with you with and we kind of embodied that spirit right throughout the year.”
Marsham and Payne stood side-by-side on the premiership dais in 2014-15.
Main would take over the reins in 2016, holding the silverware aloft with the now three-time premiership skipper.
“It meant so much because of the five years of disappointment, but to get that reward and to be in the thick of it as captain was great,” Payne said.
Several of Payne’s teammates will be on hand on Saturday with the Cobras holding their 2015 premiership reunion and life members and sponsors day.
With so much to play for, the Cobras will win by 32 points.
In other games, Nar Nar Goon will be too strong for Garfield, Tooradin-Dalmore will bounce back with a win over Inverloch-Kongwak, while Kilcunda-Bass should enjoy a comfortable home win against Dalyston.
And Warragul Industrials will cement a top-three position with a 50-plus victory over Korumburra-Bena.
