Majors lacking but Rayner’s got goals
GOALS aren’t the AFL currency for Brisbane’s Cameron Rayner, who trusts they’ll come eventually.
After averaging almost one goal a game in his first two AFL seasons, the half-forward has managed just one across three games in the stop-start 2020 season.
The 2017 No.1 draft pick, Rayner conceded his fitness was lacking last season but he has returned to action this campaign sharper than ever and is keen to influence the contest in a variety of ways.
He said his final-quarter tackle last Saturday after chasing down West Coast’s Shannon
Hurn was evidence of that new mindset. “That’s what I try and base my game off as a starting point – energy and pressure … it’s something the forward group can do to help the team out,” he said.
“One week it’ll be Charlie (Cameron) kicking a couple of goals, or Eric (Hipwood) or Macca (Daniel McStay) – your time will come.
“If I can base my game on pressure and not necessarily worry about scoreboard impact, hopefully that’ll come.”
Rayner will play his 50th AFL game on Sunday when the Lions face the Crows, who are searching for answers after consecutive floggings from Port Adelaide and Gold Coast.
Brisbane (2-1) beat the Eagles without captain Dayne Zorko and ruckman Stef Martin, who both trained well yesterday and look on track to return. But there will be no assumptions made by the Lions, who are keen to exploit their kind run of home games.
“It’s going to be on, they’ll come out with lots of fight and energy,” Rayner said of Adelaide. “It shows the maturity of the group now … to be able to win without our captain against a good team like West Coast is a good step.”