VAFA 2019: Shaun Payze kicks 1000th career goal for Peninsula Old Boys

Legendary Peninsula Old Boys player Shaun Payze has slotted his 1000th career goal — and also put the Pirates into the finals.

Peninsula Old Boys champion Shaun Payze.

Peninsula Old Boys footballer Shaun Payze has been labelled a true champion after kicking his 1000th career goal on Saturday.

The 39-year-old needed two for the magical milestone and slotted five as the Pirates beat Oakleigh by 69 points to snatch a finals berth in VAFA Division 1.

Shaun Payze kicks his 1000th career goal. Picture: Anthony Pearce.

One-club star Payze was mobbed by teammates after booting his 1000th goal in the second quarter at Harry Mac Oval.

“It’s a pretty remarkable effort,” Payze’s former teammate Eivion Bowen said. “In today’s day and age...he’s never received a cent to play, been at the one club.’’

Payze is closing in on another major milestone; he’s sitting on 398 games.

The son of St Kilda’s 1966 premiership player, the late Travis Payze, Shaun has become the Pirate Prince of goals in a career spanning two decades.

Shaun Payze is mobbed by teammates after kicking his 1000th career goal. Picture: Anthony Pearce.

But five games into it he was dropped to the reserves.

It was 1998 and Payze had made a splendid start to his senior footy career.

It’s fair to say, he didn’t see his axing coming. Coach Brett McIwraith made the call, not so much on form but more to teach the youngster an early lesson.

“I kicked a few goals and I think he thought I was getting a bit ahead of myself and was getting a bit lazy so he dropped me to the reserves to make a bit of a point early in my career,” Payze said.

“I certainly learnt the lesson fairly quickly.”

Twenty two years on and that reserves game remains Payze’s one and only seconds game in a superb career.

The Pirates meet Kew in a semi-final on Saturday.

Key stats for Shaun Payze:

398 games.

1003 goals.

6 x club B & Fs (5 x runners up).

1 x League B & F.

4 x League leading goalkicker (best 102 goals in 2005).

Biggest haul was 16 in a game.

VAFA (Vic amateur) rep team 2000.