Cam Rayner
Cameron Rayner is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.
Early life
Rayner was born to mother Nicole, a primary school teacher, and father John, a boilermaker, and raised in Sydenham in Melbourne. The family were strong Essendon Football Club supporters and Cameron grew up idolising Matthew Lloyd. Rayner played junior football with the Hillside Football Club and Essendon Doutta Stars in the Essendon District Football League winning six club best and fairest awards. He made the under-12s Victorian squad, however was later dropped as he was considered too small a player. However he later went through a growth spurt and played for the Western Jets in the TAC Cup/Talent League.He attended Taylor’s Lakes Secondary College before moving to Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School on a football scholarship.
Rayner was selected in the AFL Academy in 2017 and despite splitting his toe open was dominant with a three goal performance for Team Daniher in the 20th Anniversary match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He would back up this performance with a 3 goal game for Vic Metro at the AFL Under-18 Championships, earning him a spot in the Under-18 All-Australian team.
He was drafted by Brisbane with the first overall selection in the 2017 national draft.
AFL career
Rayner made his debut in the twenty-five point loss to at Etihad Stadium in the opening round of the 2018 season, recording 8 disposals including his first AFL goal. In round 4, on what was a horror day for the Lions, Rayner was a shining light for the Lions, recording a career-best 22 disposals and kicking his side's second of 2 goals for the day in a 93-point loss against reigning premiers at the MCG. In the following round in the QClash against, Rayner had a chance to draw the match right on the full-time siren, but he pulled his kick wide to the left for a behind and the Lions were defeated by 5 points.Rayner received the AFL Rising Star nomination for round 15 after kicking two goals and recording nineteen disposals in the Lions' win over at Optus Stadium. Rayner had a chance to win the game against in round 20 after being awarded a free kick on a slight angle 30m from goal, but he attempted a kick around the body and his shot went wide to the right for a behind. The Lions lost by 3 points.
On November 5, 2020, Rayner signed a three-year extension with Brisbane, contracting him until the end of 2023.
In a 2021 pre season clash against the Gold Coast Suns, Rayner ruptured his ACL and missed the entire season.
Rayner was part of the Brisbane Lions 2024 premiership winning team, kicking a goal and having 16 disposals in a 60-point victory over the Sydney Swans.
Statistics
Updated to the end of the 2025 season.! colspan=3 | Career
! 167 !! 171 !! 136 !! 1275 !! 973 !! 2248 !! 549 !! 436 !! 1.0 !! 0.8 !! 7.6 !! 5.8 !! 13.5 !! 3.3 !! 2.6 !! 23
Honours and achievements
TeamAFL premiership player: 2024, 2025IndividualAFL Rising Star nominee: 2018