The first-overall draft pick from the 2017 National Draft, Cameron Rayner, knows a little bit about expectation.
Drafted to Brisbane out of his native Victoria, at a time when the club was on its knees, the electric front-half commodity has been a key driver in the Lions' re-emergence as a perennial premiership contender.
The Lions will play in their fifth consecutive preliminary final on Saturday evening, and sixth in the last in the last seven seasons, when they face Sam Mitchell's Hawks at the MCG.
With talent across all lines, premiership pedigree, and a depth that simply must be the envy of the competition, conventional wisdom suggests nothing can really stop them completing their three-peat quest on the last Saturday of September.
Conventional wisdom, however, does not take into account the psychology of professional athletes.
The Lions have been found guilty of lapses in concentration and competitiveness numerous times in the last few seasons, with their first two appearances of this season's finals series providing an interesting lens from which to view this side.
Despite coach Chris Fagan's breathless reminders that Sydney were to be taken seriously, despite lacking key personnel, the Lions fell to the Swans in a shocking lowering of their own colours in a qualifying final.
A week later, they had the Crows on toast inside five minutes.
It would be hard to stay engaged for every second of a given match when you know your side can win a game in such a devastating, rapid fashion, and Rayner admitted to the mental battle that elite sport can often be, particularly for the best teams, when speaking to Lions legend Alastair Lynch, pre-match, on the Fox Footy broadcast.
“(With) our group - it's all between the ears really," Rayner said.
"It's just about the mentality, to really hone in. Everyone preps a little bit differently; you'll have some boys out there doing (goal-kicking) shots, or some boys in here trying to keep it low key. We've done all the work - it's just about putting it all into action."
The Lions will look to emulate their miraculous start to semi-final proceedings against the Hawks, with their focus and key performance indicators, crystal clear in Rayner's mind.
“It's very similar to last week - just pressure and intensity," he said.
"They (Hawthorn) can lock the ball in, they can do damage out of the backline, so we'll try and bring it into a scrap and put the pressure on them straight away."
"This is the house fire." 🦁 pic.twitter.com/8okMURATSd
— Brisbane Lions (@brisbanelions) September 18, 2026
Averaging 16 disposals and more than a goal a game this season, Rayner's utility has been obvious. He can play almost anywhere in the front-half of the ground - he is a more than capable aerialist, with goal nous, a strong contested toolkit and burst from stoppages.
It's a handy weapon for Chris Fagan, who trusts Rayner's instincts regarding if or when it is his time to leave his home inside 50 and impact further i[ the ground.
“I'm a bit flexible with it, to be honest," Rayner said.
"We've tried different things - it's just down to the way I see the game going. If I can inject myself into there (Brisbane's midfield mix) and make a difference, I will. It's on the trust of the other boys to let me get in there and have a crack, and we go from there."
Rayner and his Lions will face Fremantle in the 2026 Grand Final, should they knock over the Hawks on Saturday afternoon.
It would be the club's fourth consecutive grand final appearance, and eighth in total, after a 19-year wait between to feature again on the grandest stage of them all, from 2004 to 2023.
