Rhys Mathieson Biography

Brisbane delist Rhys Mathieson, Blake Coleman and Darryl McDowell-White jnr.

Rhys Mathieson signs a new two-year deal with the Lions to remain at the club until the end of 2023.

"I'm pretty stoked to be able to stay at this club that I love so much. The boys are my best mates, they're people I hang out with in the off-season. They're like a family to me," Mathieson said.

The Lions temporarily delist Grant Birchall, Connor Ballenden and Rhys Mathieson from the senior list. The trio will be added to the rookie list for 2021.

Rhys Mathieson signs a new two-year deal with Brisbane to remain at the club until the end of 2021.

"Rhys shows terrific drive to constantly get better and challenge himself at AFL level," Lions football manager David Noble said.

"He embraces our values and brings a level of passion to our team which is infectious and engaging. As he continues to grow, we look forward to his next level of development at our club."

Brisbane Lions midfielder Rhys Mathieson will miss up to six weeks after badly spraining his ankle at training.

"The sprain resulted in some ligament issues, including ligaments in the top of his ankle," Lions head of medical Peter Blanch said.

"Luckily it wasn’t bad enough that it required surgery, but he will be in rehabilitation for the next four to six weeks."

Rhys Mathieson says he has made Dayne Beams his mentor at the Lions.

"He's an inside mid and I want to model my game off his," Mathieson said.

"I spent a bit of time in rehab with him last year when I broke my cheekbone and we built a good relationship.

"On the training track he came across as a mentor and I put it on him and said "mate, you're going to be my mentor, whether you like it or not, you're going to have to do it".

"He's just smart. Around the ball, he knows when to go, his running patterns are very good.

"In training I tend to go on the opposition side and try to follow his running patterns, he's quite good at that."

Rhys Mathieson has played just 10 games, but coach Justin Leppitsch says the Brisbane Lions need more players like him.

Mathieson was at the centre of a second quarter revival in Sunday's 10-goal loss to Geelong, niggling Cats skipper Joel Selwood and firing up his teammates in the process.

"I think we need more players that have the spunk and aggression and want to win," Leppitsch said of Mathieson.

"There's no way you'd be reining in that."

Brisbane Lions captain Tom Rockliff says youngster Rhys Mathieson needs to change his technique to avoid drawing high tackles.

Despite only playing two senior games, Mathieson has been one of the players targeted by critics amid a raging debate about footballers 'ducking' into tackles.

Rockliff said he didn't want to see a proliferation of players seeking to win high free kicks become a blight on the game.

"It's obviously a technique thing that we've got to work on with Rhys," Rockliff told 3AW.

"We don’t want that across the board as players, I think it makes it really hard to tackle and so on.

"Rhys has got to continue to improve his game, not only in that area, but I'm sure he's continuing to work at that.

"Rhys has still got to attack the ball the way he does and make sure he's helping the team and the way we want to move the footy,

"He's clean at ground level and it's a real asset of his. The quicker he can release that ball, it sets up our ball movement really well."

Rhys Mathieson makes his AFL debut for Brisbane at the MCG with 14 disposals (11 kicks and 3 handballs), 3 marks and 2 tackles in a 63-point loss to Melbourne.

Rhys Mathieson signs a two-year contract extension with Brisbane to remain at the club until the end of 2019.

Jeremy Cameron is suspended for four matches for his high bump that left Brisbane Lions draftee Rhys Mathieson with a broken cheekbone.

Cameron's case was referred directly to the Tribunal on Monday after the Match Review Panel graded it careless with severe impact to the head.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge as classified by the MRP and will be sidelined for matches against Melbourne, Geelong, the Sydney Swans and Port Adelaide.

"I accept the sanction they have handed down to me and I just hope Rhys Mathieson is OK," Cameron said.

"I just want to move on with my season now. We just wanted to go in there and plead my case."

Rhys Mathieson will miss up to six weeks after having surgery on his fractured face.

Lions' head of physiotherapy Shane Lemcke said Mathieson had two fractures – one to his cheekbone and one to the bone below it - to the right side of his face.

Rhys Mathieson will see a surgeon on Monday after scans revealed he had a fractured cheekbone following a bump from Jeremy Cameron.

Cameron was reported for the incident in Sunday's NAB Challenge win against the Lions and now faces a nervous wait to see if he will be available for round one.

As Mathieson disposed of the ball, Cameron came from the teenager's right hand side and left his feet to deliver the bump.

The Lions are fully expecting Mathieson will require surgery but are still unsure how complex it could be.

One of the major surprises of the 2015 NAB AFL Draft was the slide of rugged Geelong Falcons midfielder Rhys Mathieson.

After back-to-back All Australian selections, the ball-hunting 18-year-old was widely tipped to be taken inside the first 25 picks.

But Mathieson sat and sat – and sat – as he fell all the way to the Brisbane Lions at pick No.39.

"It got to No.39 and the Lions got me. I was nervous waiting up until then, but I'm very grateful for the spot on this list," Mathieson said.

"I was definitely getting a bit fidgety standing up and down off the couch. I was definitely nervous and the numbers kept ticking by and I just wanted to go.

"When the Lions called me it was a big relief."

Brisbane select Rhys Mathieson pick No.39 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft.

"He's an inside machine and hopefully our clearance numbers, with players we have brought in through trades and the draft are going to improve," Brisbane recruiting manager Stephen Conole said of Mathieson.