Brisbane Lions key defender Jack Payne and his partner, model and medical student Bronte Dagg, have reportedly ended their relationship, marking the latest personal drama to affect the AFL club.
Details of the Reported Split
A source has revealed to The Daily Telegraph that the relationship between the 26-year-old footballer and Dagg broke down in October. The couple are understood to have been together for approximately eight months prior to their separation.
Following the Lions' second successive premiership victory in September, Dagg is said to have 'felt something was going wrong'. While both Payne's representatives and the Brisbane Lions have been contacted for comment, there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the player.
Evidence of the split appears on social media, where the pair have unfollowed each other on Instagram. However, traces of their past relationship remain online, including a photograph Dagg shared of the couple attending the Lions' awards night in early October.
Life After the Breakup
Since the reported split, Jack Payne has remained active on social media. He has posted content related to his injury rehabilitation, shared festive season snaps with family and friends, and been pictured relaxing on the beach.
Payne's 2024 season ended prematurely in June when he ruptured the patella tendon in his knee during a match against the GWS Giants. He underwent surgery and missed the remainder of the season, including Brisbane's premiership triumph.
Bronte Dagg, a finalist in the 2024 Miss Universe Australia pageant, is a multifaceted individual. She initially studied pre-medicine before switching to economics and is also an accomplished equestrian showrider, having competed at the Royal Queensland Show.
A Second Relationship Blow for the Lions
This news follows another high-profile separation within the Brisbane Lions community. Club captain Lachie Neale and his wife Julie announced their split in January after eight years of marriage.
Neale publicly apologised for his actions, stating he had 'let my family down', and subsequently stepped down from his role as team captain. He emphasised that the wellbeing of their children was the priority and asked for privacy.
Regarding his future, Neale's contract expires at the end of 2026. Coach Chris Fagan has indicated the decision on whether Neale stays with the Lions or potentially moves closer to his children in Perth rests with the player.
Jack Payne, a Sunshine Coast native, was the 54th pick in the 2017 National Draft and has played 81 games for the Lions. He was a key part of the team that ended a 21-year premiership drought in 2024.
