Christian Petracca and Dustin Martin with their Norm Smith medals, and (centre) former No.1 draft gun Cam Rayner. Pictures: AFL Photos

IT SEEMS there is one ingredient every premiership team needs these days, and that's a Dustin Martin … or a Christian Petracca.

And while Dusty, a three-time Norm Smith medallist and superstar of the game, is widely considered as inimitable, according to Brisbane great Jonathan Brown the Lions might have something similar right under their nose.

Brown, a three-time premiership player himself, has his sights set on a former No.1 draft pick in Cam Rayner.

Brisbane's Cam Rayner in action against Adelaide in a practice match on February 25, 2022. Picture: Getty Images

"Can Cam Rayner get back out there and be that X-factor that I think they need? That forward-midfield sort of X-factor?" Brown wondered in his exclusive interview with AFL.com.au during the Fox Footy launch.

"Can he sort of hit the scoreboard and have an impact like a …?"

Brown paused, then added: "Well, everyone compares him to Dustin Martin. You know, Martin, Petracca, (Jordan) De Goey, (Jake) Stringer - that kind of impact. Hopefully he can start working towards that."

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Under coach Chris Fagan, the Lions have been knocking on the door of a Grand Final berth, winning through to two semi-finals and a preliminary final in 2020.

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Brown remains adamant that to take the next step and, indeed, win a flag, it will require a player like the 22-year-old Rayner to become an outright superstar of the competition.

Despite missing all the 2021 season because of an ACL injury, Rayner is slated to spend more time in the Brisbane engine room this year.

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It could prove to be the birth of another powerful mid-forward, whose bursts from stoppages break the hearts of the opponents, even if he's only 63 games into his AFL career.

Cam Rayner speaks with Lions coach Chris Fagan in round 16, 2020. Picture: AFL Photos

"I struggle to see midfields that have a blandness about them win a premiership," Brown said.

"I don't think we're going to sit here at the end of the season and say (Rayner) is a bona fide superstar, but it would be nice to see him play consistent football and have an impact on games.

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"He's still a young player and he's coming off a knee reconstruction, which we need to be mindful of."