Cam Rayner ‘like a red wine’ as he gets better with age in a Lions side chasing nine successive wins

Often “maligned”, a former No.1 AFL draft pick has taken his game to another level in a resurgent Brisbane Lions outfit.

Cam Rayner celebrates kicking a goal in Brisbane’s weekend win over the Gold Coast Suns. Picture: Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Maturing Lions star Cam Rayner says the key to his career-best form is his “clarity” with making an “impact” in a tight season in which Brisbane can ill-afford a slip-up despite being in second spot on the AFL ladder.

After starting the year poorly, the Lions have zoomed into premiership calculations on the back of eight successive wins,

However, ahead of Sunday’s clash at Marvel Stadium against a St Kilda team chasing a third consecutive win, the Lions aren’t about to take their foot off the pedal.

“We have a ‘pound the rock’ mantra at the footy club and I feel like that’s what the season’s been like,” Rayner said.

“You’ve just got to keep smashing at it, keep smashing at it, and eventually it will turn.

“Now it’s turned, which is really good, and we just want to keep that going all the way through.

“What probably makes it easy to keep that level (is) knowing that if … we’re going to get challenged, we can probably drop down. If you don’t keep that energy up, then you can get found out straight away.

“One of the main things this year is that any team’s beaten any team, and it’s been a challenge every week, so you’ve just got to make sure you keep trying to find ways to build the energy around the club.”

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— Brisbane Lions (@brisbanelions) July 27, 2024

In a roaming role that had him spending time in Brisbane’s midfield and up forward, Rayner was among Brisbane’s best in the Lions’ impressive 28-point weekend win over the Gold Coast Suns.

“It’s been good, having a lot of clarity with (my) role,” he said.

“I’m just trying to find different ways that I can impact the game that suits my game … being able to have a balance between the both of them (the forward line and midfield) and seeing where I feel like I can impact the game at different stages.

“It probably comes back to my fitness as well. I feel like I’m running out games really well and having impact in the later parts of the game, which I probably didn’t use to.”

Lions coach Chris Fagan was happy that the “maligned” Rayner – the first pick in the 2017 national draft – had become “hard to stop”.

“He’s got great belief in himself at the moment and he’s using all his attributes really well,” Fagan said.

“It’s pleasing for him because he’s been a bit maligned. It’s always tough when you’re the No.1 pick in the draft. Everybody watches you and watches your career.

“He’s a bit like a red wine, he’s getting better with age. We’ve given him a bit of a licence now.

“He plays mostly as a forward but he’s got a licence to go to stoppages and he seems to be pretty good at picking that time.

“Giving him that responsibility has given him a bit more control over what he’s doing on the field.

“He’s a real asset for us at the moment, whether it be in that clearance situation or up forward. He’s hard to stop.”