Brisbane star Cam Rayner confident Lions can win at MCG for first time since 2014

Brisbane Lions star Cam Rayner continues to impress in his comeback from a knee reconstruction.

Cam Rayner is happy with how his season in progressing. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Having already exceeded his personal expectations for the year, Cam Rayner’s attention has switched to helping Brisbane win at the MCG.

The Lions have another chance to end their home-of-football hoodoo, dating back to 2014, when they meet Richmond on Sunday.

Rayner and his teammates don’t need to be reminded they won’t win the premiership unless they learn how to succeed at the MCG, where the grand final will return this season after two years away.

“If we want to have a really good result by the end of the year, we’ve got to start winning games at this ground,” Rayner said.

“It’s spoken about a lot in the media, but we haven’t been able to do that … but this group is really capable of doing that.

“I’ve got full confidence that we can go out there this week and play four good quarters.”

Brisbane Lions star Cam Rayner is yet to miss a match in Brisbane’s impressive 2022 campaign. Picture: Russell Freeman / AFL Photos via Getty Images

Rayner couldn’t explain Brisbane’s MCG failures, claiming the ground’s dimensions were similar to those of the Gabba, where the Lions rarely lose.

“There’s not much difference at all; it’s just that we haven’t been able to string one together there yet,” he said.

“This group has just got to look at it as another challenge. Obviously it’s important to get wins there, and we know when it comes to the pointy end of the year, you’re going to have to win your games there.

“If we can come out there (on Sunday) and really stamp our authority, it’d be a great point to move on from for the rest of the year.”

Having sat out all of last season following a knee reconstruction, the versatile Rayner is yet to miss a match in Brisbane’s impressive 2022 campaign.

“If I got told last year that I was going to come back and not miss a game, I would have been over the moon,” he said.

“It’s a credit to the work that all the physio staff did with me last year. We put a lot of work in to make sure that I came back in good shape from the injury.”

And Rayner promised his best was still yet to come.

“I feel like at the moment I’m probably playing two or three games, and then I have a bit of a quiet one, so that’s a little bit of a growth for me.

“Similar to the team (target), if there’s a time to start really putting some good games together, this is the time now, so that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Meanwhile, fringe Brisbane pair Carter Michael and Tom Berry will miss the rest of the season after suffering shoulder injuries in the Lions’ weekend VFL loss to the Gold Coast Suns.

Michael and Berry will have surgery on Tuesday.

Originally published as Brisbane star Cam Rayner confident Lions can win at MCG for first time since 2014