Todd Payten

In Round 18 of the 1996 ARL season, after playing just two reserve grade games, Payten made his first grade debut for the Raiders as a 17-year old in a 16–24 loss to the Western Suburbs Magpies. He played two games for the Raiders that year and represented the New South Wales under-17 team.[4][5]

In 1997, Payten played 11 games for the Raiders, scoring his first try in a 26–38 loss to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Over the next two seasons, he gradually made more appearances for the Raiders, initially playing from the bench, until he cemented a position as starting prop in 2000.[6] Over his seven seasons with the club, he played 90 games and in four finals series (1997, 1998, 2000, 2002).[6]

In 2003, having been released from the final two years of his contract with the Raiders, he joined the Sydney Roosters. His first game with the club was the 2003 World Club Challenge, coming off the bench and scored a try in the Roosters' 38–0 win over Super League champions St Helens R.F.C..[7] In Round 14 of the 2003 NRL season, he played his 100th NRL game in a 15–14 win over the North Queensland Cowboys. He played 18 games for the Roosters in his lone season at the club, missing their run to the Grand Final after suffering a foot injury in their Round 23 win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs.[8]

Payten in 2008

After being released by the Roosters, Payten joined the Wests Tigers in 2004, which meant he was being paid by three clubs.[3] Coach Tim Sheens said of the signing, "We had players like Johnny Skandalis who could take the ball up but what we were looking for was someone with a little bit of nous around his game."[9] In his first season with the club, he played 17 games.

On 2 October 2005, he came off the bench and scored the final try of the game in the Tigers' 30–16 win over the North Queensland Cowboys in the 2005 NRL Grand Final. In Round 21 of the 2008 NRL season, he played his 200th NRL game in a 56–4 win over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

In 2010, Payten was named in the Australian train-on squad for the Four Nations.[10] During that year's semi finals, he suffered an injury to his ankle when he stepped on a tennis ball. He took no further part in the season, and missed games at the start of 2011 with knee and ankle problems. In an effort to return to full fitness, Payten underwent experimental stem-cell therapy, saying, "At the moment I'm retiring unless this works dramatically.".[11]

In Round 3 of the 2011 NRL season, he played his 250th NRL game in a 34–24 win over his former club, the Canberra Raiders.[12]

In June 2011, prior to the Tigers' Round 13 game against the Newcastle Knights, Payten announced that he would retire at the end of the season.[13] Payten said, "This isn't the way I wanted it to finish. If I'm really honest with myself, I'd be hard-pressed to continue on the way it's going at the moment. I can't."[14] Already a Level 2 certified coach, Payten said he intended to pursue coaching. He returned from injury to make six more appearances off the bench towards the end of the season, but was unable to participate in the finals due to another injury.