Cam Rayner and Zac Bailey keen for Lions to return to winning ways to ensure memorable 150-game milestones
With last weekend's 'wake-up call' fresh in their minds, Brisbane Lions milestone men Cam Rayner and Zac Bailey don't want their 150th AFL appearances spoiled by another lacklustre performance on Sunday at the Gabba against Melbourne.
The first-placed Lions were held to a 71-71 draw by competition battlers North Melbourne in Hobart, with Rayner admitting Brisbane was 'lucky' not to lose.
'I just felt like we were just a little bit of a step off with our reaction time and things that we really pride ourselves on,' the Lions star said.
'We probably could have been playing a lot better, and it's probably a good wake-up call for us just to get back to what we know really works – that's our hunt and that's our mindset, to come out and really attack teams.
'We get a really good chance to do that again on Sunday.'
Bailey said despite Brisbane's lofty position, the Lions still had plenty of improvement in them.
'We haven't really been playing at our best,' the Darwin product said.
'The way we're moving the ball at times is probably suiting the opposition. We kicked back to them (North Melbourne) a lot.
'We didn't really change the angles and test out their defence at all, and that's our game, just being able to change angles with uncontested marks.
'That's something we'll try to change this week.'
It's fitting that Bailey and Rayner, both 25, will reach 150 AFL appearances in the same game, having both been picked up by the Lions in the 2017 national draft and gone through the lows and the highs that culminated with last year's premiership win.
'It's great. We came into the league together, and he's been one of my good mates at the club since then,' Bailey said of his bond with Rayner.
'We started at the bottom and been on the journey together, so to play 150 (games) together against Melbourne is really good.'
Rayner echoed Bailey's sentiments.
'It's something we're always going to remember, especially for both our families as well,' Rayner said.
'Coming up here at the same time, I feel like throughout our careers we both probably had a little bit of a different journey, but to match up on the same day that we get to play 150 (AFL) games, it's pretty cool.'
While Bailey was the 15th selection in the 2017 draft, Rayner had the added pressure of being the first pick.
'It's probably built me into the player that I am,' he said.
'It's something that, at the time, you probably don't understand how much it's going to take a toll on your career as you get older.
'It's always something that someone brings up or speaks about, even though when you're out there, it doesn't really matter what pick you've gone.
'It's just made me focus on it a little bit more and really tap into that side of it because if you don't, it can chew up in you.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Mercury
an hour ago
- Mercury
AFL Round 13 Wrap – Pies win Thriller, GWS fail & are Crows Contenders?
The AFL Today Show is here for all your Round 13 needs, wrapping up every single game with stats, banter and insights as Adelaide become contenders, Collingwood's nail-biting victory over the Demons and Port Adelaide's upset GWS! The panel chat about the biggest AFL news, amazing moments, as Max Holmes, & Brodie Grundy dominate, plus highlighting the biggest & best moments of an amazing and inaccurate round of footy! Get around the AFL Today Show with panelists Liam McAllion, Marcus Bazzano and Leo Mullaly as they talk out all things footy for the 2025 AFL season! Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:08 Western Bulldogs vs Hawthorn 07:55 Adelaide vs Brisbane 13:42 Richmond vs Sydney 18:22 Geelong vs Gold Coast 23:07 GWS vs Port Adelaide 29:00 North Melbourne vs West Coast 33:33 Carlton vs Essendon 38:45 Melbourne vs Collingwood 44:54 Ladder Check 46:00 Tipping Results 46:30 Lock of the Week 48:42 Best of the Round 50:37 Best Team of the Round 52:35 Outro ð¨ð» AFL Today's Podcast Expert Panel: Alex Donnelly Liam 'Stats Guy' McAllion Leo Mullaly Marcus Bazzano Subscribe for weekly AFL analysis, predictions, and fan discussions. Follow AFL Today's Social Media Channels. Instagram: Tik Tok: X: Spotify: Apple Podcast: Be sure to check out our other shows: Cricket Today: @CricketTodayAU

News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Blues relaxed on first full day of Origin II camp
Dean Ritchie and Pamela Whaley report from the New South Wales Blue Mountains, where the Blues have entered camp ahead of State of Origin game two.

News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Randwick-Kensington best bets, inside mail for Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Form expert Adam Sherry analyses Wednesday's six-race card at Randwick's Kensington track, presenting his best bets, value selection, quaddie and exotic picks and jockey to follow. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! â– â– â– â– â– BEST BET Race 2 No.9 SISTER DAAE: Has solid form in her three starts. Can kick off her campaign with a win. NEXT BEST Race 4 No.2 VANESSI: Narrowly beaten first-up last preparation. Nice trial winner last week. VALUE BET Race 5 No.3 CALIFORNIA SUNRISE: Just beaten here two starts ago. Drops back in grade from a closing fifth at Rosehill. BEST EXOTIC Quinella Race 2: 7, 9 QUADDIE Race 3: 1,5,6 Race 4: 2,3 Race 5: 1,3,5 Race 6: 2,6,9 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Hard to go past James McDonald in the TAB Jockey Challenge. â– â– â– â– â– COLD BREW (1) raced well in his first campaign with three consecutive second placings including one behind Blue Vein on a Soft 5 here over 1400m. Kept under a good hold when fourth in his Rosehill trial on may 9. Tracked leader and cruised to the line to win his May 29 heat. NEWY (7) is a first starter by Flying Artie and a half-brother to his stakes-winning stablemate, Brudenell. Allowed to find his feet early before making nice ground under a strong hold to finish third in both recent trials on the Beaumont. STARDEEL (2) was good in his first campaign with two placings including a second to Hell To Pay in the Magic Millions Maiden. Impressive four length win in his May 26 Warwick Farm trial. BET: COLD BREW (1) to win. SISTER DAAE (9) debuted with a fourth to Winning Proposal at Warwick Farm last June. Ran on strongly from last for third to Lady Savannah when resuming last campaign at Newcastle before a fifth to Alinea here when inconvenienced near the 200m. Sat three-wide without cover and not pushed when third in her Rosehill trial on May 29. INVISIBLE MAGIC (7) debuted with a handy third to Hopper and Gunroom on a Soft 6 at Warwick Farm. Followed up with a third to Blue Willow over 1400m on a Heavy 10 at Newcastle on May 26. OSO SPIRITED (8) makes her Australian debut off an all-the-way Rosehill trial win on May 29. Was fifth in a Group 3 over this trip in New Zealand. BET: SISTER DAAE (9) to win. RATTLE AND HUM (5) has been improving as he has stepped up in distance. Was fourth to Knights Armour over 2110m on a Heavy 10 at Warwick Farm with 57kg before a half-length second to Trapalanda over 2200m there last start. Up to 2400m and is one from one at the track and distance. Drops to 54kg with the claim. WUDDZZ (6) was runner-up to Casual Connection at Warwick Farm before returning to Victoria to win smartly at Warrnambool. Closed from near last when runner-up to Casual Connection at Randwick last start and meets him 2.5kg better. CASUAL CONNECTION (1) won by nearly three lengths at Randwick last start for his fourth win over the 2400m. Jumps up 4kg this time. BET: RATTLE AND HUM (5) each-way. VANESSI (2) resumes here off two good trials. Led and held together when third to South Of India in his May 22 Warwick Farm heat. Led and won comfortably in her Rosehill heat last Friday. Just beaten by Inside Man first-up over 1250m last campaign. COLUMBIA BLUE (3) race keenly on debut when second to Pierolite Kembla before a big win from Harry's Evidence over 1000m at Hawkesbury on May 27. Drawn well. O'INVINCIBLE (8) raced outside the leader Gamp and was tough in scoring by a short half head on debut at Hawkesbury last December. She was second past the post at Wyong 13 days later but got the win on protest after suffering interference near the 150. Trialling well. BET: VANESSI (2) to win. CALIFORNIA SUNRISE (3) settled three-wide back in the field before finishing third to Tuned when resuming at Warwick Farm. Was six weeks between runs when a nose second to Hellbent On You over 1250m here before coming from last on straightening to finish fifth behind Mickey's Medal at Rosehill on May 31. PESCHIERA (5) resumed with a length second at Pakenham before a nice all-the-way win from Mini Angel at Sandown-Lakeside on Apr 21. Returned to Sydney and boxed on gamely for a neck third to La Signore Dane at Canterbury on May 28. SUPER NUI (1) has been up a while now but is having a good campaign. Led all-the-way for a huge win at Wyong before another big win at Hawkesbury last start. BET: CALIFORNIA SUNRISE (3) each-way. STALLONE (9) scored back-to-back wins at Orange before a second at Moruya last campaign. Kicked off this preparation with a length-and-a-half fourth to Piggyback at Warwick Farm on May 21. He will be improved by the run and can give this a shake. INSIDE MAN (4) raced wide without cover when a length fourth to Dashing Rupert at Kembla first-up. Settled fourth in a field of six and hit the front at the 50m before holding out Hazel Jean to score over 1250m at Canterbury last start. Steps up to 1400m and gets a nice run from the pole. DELRICO (6) was just beaten first-up last time in. Will make his presence felt.