Eddie Burns

Eddie Burns (Bulldog no.16) is one of the true immortals of the Canterbury-Bankstown Club.

A local junior, Burns was a member of the inaugural side in 1935 and played in the Club's very first reserve grade match, before making his first-grade debut in Round 3 against Balmain. 

A mobile and tough prop forward, Burns gained a reputation for his try scoring ability mainly through his support play - his record of 62 first-grade tries remained until he was overtaken by flying winger Chris Anderson in 1980.

Eddie was also part of a formidable front row combination with Henry Porter and Roy Kirkaldy. Together the 'Three Musketeers' played in 94 games together from 1938 to 1948.

A member of the Club's inaugural semi-final clash in 1936, Burns was a Premiership winner in 1938 and 1942, as well as a member of the City Cup winning team of 1939 while also playing in the 1947 Grand Final.

Following retirement, Eddie coached the Reserve Grade team to the Grand Final in 1952, before steering the first-grade side back to the semi-finals in 1960 following a thirteen-year absence. His run of silverware continued in 1962 when the side won the inaugural pre-season competition. 

Becoming a Life Member of the Club and the NSWRL, Burns coached NSW from 1963 to 1965 and was manager of the Australian team that toured New Zealand in 1969. His role in administration saw him take the position of Club President in 1967 and 1968.

After his passing in June 2003 at the age of 87, Eddie was posthumously named at prop in the Berries to Bulldogs 70 Year Team of Champions in 2004. On April 1 2007, he was inducted into the Bulldogs Ring of Champions. 

On 1st August 2015, Eddie was inducted in the Canterbury-Bankstown Hall of Fame as part of the Club's 80th Year celebrations.

"One Balmain prop was a bloke called Mick Pace. He was a gorilla of a man, tough and strong, and he let me know straight away that I was in first-grade."

Eddie Burns Reminiscing on his first-grade debut