In just eight senior games, Mayes has already shown enough to suggest that the Lions’ investment of their first-round draft pick at the 2012 AFL National Draft will prove worthwhile.
The 18-year-old has averaged 17.6 disposals (ranked 10th at the Club) and 5.5 marks (third), but is constantly trying to find ways to improve his game.
His supreme work ethic and thirst for knowledge has been evident from the moment he arrived in Brisbane last November.
Manny Lynch, the Lions’ head of Leadership, Welfare and Culture, told The Courier Mail recently that Mayes was the type of person who is determined to succeed at the elite level.
"He is extremely professional to the point where he has the good habits you'd expect of a third or fourth year player,” Lynch said of Mayes.
"His challenge is not get too comfortable and to keep pushing himself to see how good he can be. We are not worried about him getting complacent because he'll keep driving himself, that's just how he is wired.
"But even the best young players find it tougher in the second and third seasons so that will be a test for him.''
So while Mayes will no doubt be proud of his latest achievement, his attention will remain firmly focussed on his task against Geelong this Sunday.
He becomes the 41st player in the Club’s combined history to receive an AFL Rising Star nomination in the award’s 20-year history.
The Lions have a dozen more players still eligible to be nominated in the second half of the season, with Justin Clarke and Elliot Yeo probably next in line for consideration.
To be eligible, players must be aged 21 or under and have played no more than 10 games at the beginning of each season.
LIONS ELIGIBLE IN 2013
Jordon Bourke
Justin Clarke
Michael Close
Jack Crisp
Sam Docherty
Nick Hayes
Billy Longer
Sam Michael
Richard Newell
Marco Paparone
Patrick Wearden
Elliot Yeo
CLUB RISING STAR NOMINEES
Nathan Chapman (Bears) – Round 3, 1993
Nathan Buckley (Bears) – Round 7, 1993*
John Barker (Fitzroy) – Round 3, 1994
Jarrod Molloy (Fitzroy) – Round 5, 1994
Chris Scott (Bears) – Round 7, 1994*
Simon Hawking (Fitzroy) – Round 13, 1994
Matthew Clarke (Bears) – Round 14, 1994
Chris Johnson (Fitzroy) – Round 21, 1994
Steve Lawrence (Bears) – Round 5, 1995
Matthew Primus (Fitzroy) – Round 1, 1996
Nick Carter (Fitzroy) – Round 8, 1996
Daniel Bradshaw (Lions) – Round 8, 1997
Luke Power (Lions) – Round 2, 1998
Shane O’Bree (Lions) – Round 1, 1999
Simon Black (Lions) – Round 9, 1999^
Luke Power (Lions) – Round 17, 1999
Tim Notting (Lions) – Round 21, 1999
Beau McDonald (Lions) – Round 13, 2000
Damian Cupido (Lions) – Round 1, 2001
Robert Copeland (Lions) – Round 19, 2001
Jamie Charman (Lions) – Round 21, 2002
Jared Brennan (Lions) – Round 4, 2003
Ashley McGrath (Lions) – Round 22, 2003^
Richard Hadley (Lions) – Round 12, 2004
Justin Sherman (Lions) – Round 6, 2005
Jed Adcock (Lions) – Round 12, 2005^
Troy Selwood (Lions) – Round 15, 2005
Anthony Corrie (Lions) – Round 17, 2005
Michael Rischitelli (Lions) – Round 8, 2006
Cheynee Stiller (Lions) – Round 13, 2006
Matthew Moody (Lions) – Round 15, 2006
Cameron Wood (Lions) – Round 2, 2007
Mitch Clark (Lions) – Round 9, 2007
Bradd Dalziell (Lions) – Round 21, 2008
Daniel Rich (Lions) – Round 1, 2009*^
Todd Banfield (Lions) – Round 6, 2010^
Tom Rockliff (Lions) – Round 13, 2010^
Jack Redden (Lions) – Round 15, 2010^
Claye Beams (Lions) – Round 1, 2012^
Mitch Golby (Lions) – Round 8, 2012^
Sam Mayes (Lions) – Round 12, 2013^
*Rising Star winner
^Still playing with the Club
