Braidon Burns feels he's ready to play the best rugby league of his career with the Canterbury Bulldogs.
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The Coonamble junior has spoken for the first time about playing in the famed blue and white of the Bulldogs after making the switch from South Sydney.
Versatile outside back Burns made his debut for the Rabbitohs in 2017 but only managed to play 40 matches for the Redfern club in five seasons.
Much of that is down to fitness issues, in particular a serious knee injury suffered in 2020.
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A number of niggling injuries followed, stunting his momentum at times, but now the 25-year-old is feeling settled at Belmore and is ready to show Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett what he's capable of during pre-season.
"I'm someone who's gone through a lot of injuries and never really been able to lock down a starting spot so that's goal of mine coming into this year and hopefully with a big pre-season it's something I can do," Burns told the Bulldogs' official website.
"I feel like my best footy is in front of me and hopefully the Bulldogs give me that opportunity and I can lock something down and find my best form."
Burns is one of a number of high-profile signings at the Bulldogs ahead of season 2022.
He'll link up with fellow Western Rams products Matt Burton (Dubbo) and Brent Naden (Wellington) in pre-season while Josh Addo-Carr, Tevita Pangai Junior, Matt Dufty, and Paul Vaughan are also among the recruits.
The new deals are a huge boost to the depth of a club which finished with the wooden spoon in 2021 and hasn't played finals since 2016.
Burns is also one of the many new recruits who brings a winning culture to the club, having played under Wayne Bennett at the Rabbitohs, while Burton, Naden and Pangai Junior were part of a premiership-winning squad this year and Addo-Carr enjoyed a glittering career with Melbourne.
"There's been a lot of really good signings for the club," Burns said.
"With a lot of new boys coming in and depth in all positions now it's going to push everyone to be better and I think that can only better the club.
"Obviously the last couple years the club hasn't done really well but will all us boys coming in and making it a bit more competitive it will really help."
Burns and his new Bulldogs teammates will start their 2022 plans off in just a few short weeks when pre-season training gets underway with the draw for the season likely to be released soon.