Latest news with #BenKing
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Footy star reveals commentators and fans have been getting his name wrong for five YEARS
Brisbane Lions defender Jack Payne wants to set the record straight - many commentators and footy fans have been getting his name wrong dating back to his debut in 2020. For whatever reason, the fullback is often referred to as 'Jackson Payne' - and the premiership-winner is tired of it. 'It is probably frustrating for Mum and Dad, more than anything,' Payne told 'They don't come down to every game, there's a few they watch on TV. 'Whenever (the name) Jackson comes up, they are the first to let me know about it. 'I've got to let everyone know that my name is Jack, not Jackson.' Payne has become a key player for the Lions in recent seasons, where the 25-year-old uses his height (6'6) to his advantage. After keeping Coleman Medal leader Ben King to just one goal in Brisbane's last start win over Gold Coast, Payne faces another litmus test this weekend in the form of North Melbourne star Nick Larkey. 'Each week I love taking the opposition's best forwards and trying to nullify their influence on the game,' he said. 'He (Larkey) has had another good year....I'm really looking forward to the battle.' Earlier this year, Payne was a revered figure after bringing the AFL premiership cup to popular holiday spot Noosa while in town for the Lions' AFL Community Camp. Payne represented the Noosa Tigers as a youngster before he was selected to join the Brisbane Lions Academy at the age of 13. The towering fullback missed the 2023 Grand Final defeat due to injury - but was on-field at the MCG last September when the Lions won their first flag since 2003.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ben King kicks six goals as Suns crush Eagles in Perth
Gold Coast forward Ben King has kicked a career-high six goals to go with an early mark-of-the-year contender as the Andrew McQualter era at West Coast started with a crushing 87-point loss at Optus Stadium. The Suns kicked nine unanswered goals from midway through the first quarter to early in the third on the way to the 20.16 (136) to 7.7 (49) triumph in Perth on Sunday. It marked the biggest win in Gold Coast's history, bettering their 86-point triumph over Hawthorn in 2017. West Coast's midfield barely got going, with the likes of Tim Kelly (14 disposals) and Harley Reid (12 disposals) well below their best. Suns ruckman Jarrod Witts (68 hitouts) had a field day against Eagles big man Matt Flynn (13 hitouts). Compounding the Eagles' woes, All-Australian forward Jake Waterman was subbed out of the game in the third term with a right calf issue. Gold Coast were also dealt an injury blow, with defender Charlie Ballard subbed out after jarring his left knee while landing just before half-time. BEN KING WITH A HUGE GRAB 🙌#AFLEaglesSuns — AFL (@AFL) March 16, 2025 It was otherwise all good news for Gold Coast. King kicked 6.2 and provided a huge highlight when he leapt onto the shoulders of Eagles defender Harry Edwards and stayed there for a couple of seconds to reel in a spectacular grab. Ben Long kicked four goals while Jake Rogers (three goals) and Ethan Read (two goals) showed plenty of promise. Noah Anderson (36 disposals, nine clearances, 713m gained), Matt Rowell (30 disposals, 10 clearances) and Touk Miller (26 disposals, 10 clearances) ran rampant, while former Tiger Daniel Rioli tallied 21 disposals and two goals in his Suns debut. McQualter, in his first year as Eagles coach, promised to implement a fast-paced, exciting brand of football at West Coast. But with the Eagles soundly beaten in the midfield, there was barely a chance for the home side to show any sort of identity. Gold Coast's losing streak on the road extended to a club-record 16 games at one point late last season. But their win in Perth means the 'away hoodoo' is off their shoulders early as Gold Coast target a maiden finals appearance in 2025. The Suns led 29-13 at quarter-time, but it should have been by much more given they dominated the inside 50m count 23-4, the clearance battle 12-4 and contested possessions 39-20. West Coast hit the lead early in the match following long-range strikes by Waterman and Oscar Allen, but the weight of numbers from Gold Coast eventually paid dividends. The free-kick count read 8-0 before West Coast received their first of the match early in the second quarter. It proved only a momentary respite for the Eagles as Gold Coast kicked five unanswered goals for the term to take a 45-point lead into half-time. Reid tallied just four first-half disposals and cut a frustrated figure amidst tight attention from Gold Coast players, often engaging in wrestles or playing for free kicks. The 19-year-old kicked a beautiful 50m goal in open play in the third term, but it was a rare highlight for the Eagles as the Suns continued to assert their dominance. Kings's spectacular third-quarter mark was admired by the 46,532-crowd - despite him being part of the opposition.
