The Norths coach has been selected in the Canberra Lakers side for the Australian Hockey League in Perth next week after a stellar season with Old Canberrans Hockey Club in the Capital League.

Payne will play alongside a number of experienced campaigners, including Kookaburras’ star Glen Turner, who will captain the side.

“I'm on a bit of a high knowing I'll be playing with and against elite players at this level,” Payne said.

“It's sort of come as a bit of a surprise, I've had friends I grew up playing with that have been at this level and had to move away to Canberra, Melbourne or Darwin.

“Getting there this late in my career was something I never thought was possible, but you never know.

“Definitely in my mind it's something I want more now than I did back then.

“It wasn't a massive focus for me, I let things happen as they happened and pushed it when I could.

“I got in the squad last year and made the cut for the last 22, but I didn't quite get the look in so I went again this year and it obviously paid off.

“Now I've got that opportunity, I'll try take it with everything I've got.”

Payne has been training with the squad in Canberra four nights a week for the past three months and will fly out to Perth on Monday before their first game against NSW on Thursday.

“I don't think game time is going to be too much of an issue, being competitive over there is the main thing for me,” Payne said.

“I don't expect to excel, but being able to compete at that level is going to be my biggest focus.”

Payne made the call to play a full season in the Capital League in Canberra after the Albury-Wodonga Spitfires were unable to field a side this year.

“It was different playing with another team, but I've learnt a lot and played some really good hockey in Capital League,” Payne said.

“It was a great experience and a great learning curve.

“It makes a difference with the quality of players you've got around you.

“There's so much depth up there compared what Spitfires had in the past.

“We'd have a good six to 10 players and it sort of dropped off, whereas in Canberra everyone is fighting for a spot in a 15-man team and are all as good as each other.

“I started all year in a senior side, got a fair bit of game time and played finals as well.”

Payne will be playing alongside two familiar faces in the national event, with Wodonga export Troy Sutherland and Beechworth product James Jewell also picked for the Lakers.