He made his name at the Penrith Panthers, but at Redfern was where Braidon Burns always wanted to be.
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The Coonamble Bears product made the move from the Panthers to the South Sydney Rabbitohs during the off-season and he has taken little time to settle in.
Burns has been grateful for all the chances he’s gained so far in the Red and Green and has quickly established himself as an NRL player to watch in 2017.
Featuring in all of the Rabbitohs pre-season fixtures including the Charity Shield victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons – which saw the youngster bag two tries out wide – Burns has sought to make the most of his opportunities.
I grew up wanting to play for the Rabbitohs.
- Braidon Burns
“I grew up wanting to play for the Rabbitohs,” he told the club’s official website, www.rabbitohs.com.au.
“Out at Penrith I got to play for the under 20’s, but coming into an NRL preseason and here with the Rabbitohs with a lot of experience around us means a lot.
“Playing at the Auckland Nines and playing in Campbelltown, I feel like I got a bit of experience there so I just want to get into the season and hopefully get a start there.”
Burns caught the eye during his time at Penrith and there was some excitement about his signing at Redfern.
He first showed glimpses of his talent at the Nines, scoring a try and showcasing the kind of talents which helped him score five tries in one match against the New Zealand Warriors in the NYC last season.
With the opening round of the 2017 season now less than a week away, Burns is pleased with the way his club has built towards its first game.
But despite the high hopes for 2017 he told the club’s website there is still work to be done.
“The atmosphere around training is good, everyone’s pretty keen to get stuck into it,
“The trials have been a good starting point for us and where we want to go, but the focus is on round one now, getting out there and getting our combinations right.”
After strong showings throughout the preseason, the proven try scorer – who scored 20 tries in 20 NYC matches in 2016 – is well-placed to score a place in Michael Maguire’s side for the round one game against Wests Tigers.
The competition for places at the club is fierce, with Burns battling the likes of Alex Johnston, Bryson Goodwin, Hymel Hunt, Dane Nielsen and Robert Jennigns for a place alongside Greg Inglis in the backline.
“I’m just focusing on improving, making myself a better player, getting into the team and being consistent,” he said.
“There are a few opportunities there and I want to take advantage of those and get out there and give it my best.”