New Warriors recruit Lachlan Burr will do everything possible nail down a spot in the match-day 17 for the club's first season opener against Canterbury Bulldogs on March 16.
The versatile forward signed a two-year deal with the Penrose-based club, after a successful stint with the Bulldogs reserve-grade squad.
The 26-year-old started his career with the Bulldogs U20's team and played one game for the first-grade side, before moving to the Gold Coast Titans in 2015.
After 23 games and two seasons in Queensland, he signed with the Bradford Bulls in England, but the club went into liquidation and he went on to sign with the Leigh Centurions.
He returned to Australia and worked as an apprentice builder, while returning to the Bulldogs and helping the reserve side to the state championship, for which he was named the team's Player of the Year.
Burr now finds himself at the Warriors, where he is determined to become a regular feature coach Stephen Kearney's line-up.
But he especially wants to play his old team to prove why they made a mistake by not re-signing him.
"I'm trying to do everything I can to get in the starting team or the bench," he told Newshub.
"It would be a big game for me, so hopefully, I'll get to play.
"I just want to get better. I've been in an out of first grade for a while, went overseas for a bit and had some good form there, and then I came back with the Bulldogs. I hope I keep up the good form and crack the first team."
The prospect of playing against the Bulldogs in Auckland seems a real possibility, with Kearney impressed by his pre-season work ethic.
The coach hopes he can get the best out of his new forward.
"I remember watching him play U18s for the Bulldogs actually and there was a big wrap on him," Kearney said.
"If he's honest, he probably hasn't hit the heights he is capable of yet and part of bringing him over here was hoping we can get that out of him, because he has a lot of potential.
"He's a hard worker, and when you get guys like that with a sense of hunger about them, they push people around them and he's done that.
"He's put himself in the frame by the way he's worked. He will be a good addition to the group."
Burr is a utility forward and can cover second-row, lock and prop, but Kearney sees him as a middle forward, meaning he'll likely play prop and lock during the season.
That doesn't matter to Burr though, as he'll happily play anywhere - even at halfback, if needed.
"Everything is starting to come together. I tried my best to re-sign with the Bulldogs, but this popped up and it's a good opportunity for me," Burr added.
"Training has been tough. [Trainer Alex Corvo] is very go, go, go, so we've been hitting the weights and going nonstop."
Burr has also made a bold prediction about the season ahead.
"We'll finish top next season, I reckon."
That's a big prediction with just under two months of pre-season remaining, followed by a gruelling 25-week season.
Newshub.
