Matt Burton has caught the eyes of many during his short time in Las Vegas, but the Bulldogs star has not let any distractions get in the way of the job he needs to do.
From nailing a 60-metre conversion to hitting the ceiling of the Las Vegas Raiders’ training facility (more than 33 metres high), Burton has taken the spotlight in the US.
But those moments have not steered Bulldogs fans away from the fact that Burton travelled to the City of Lights with an injury cloud hovering over his head.
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The 25-year-old went down with a hamstring injury during the club’s pre-season challenge match against the Knights, managing just more than 20 minutes on the field.
Initial concerns were that Burton could be ruled out of the Vegas season opener, but he has since gained medical clearance to play and has been seen training with the squad.
Sean O’Sullivan has travelled with the Bulldogs and is the likely replacement for Burton if he is deemed unfit to take to the field on Sunday.
But Burton is confident he will step out in the blue and white jersey.
“My body is fine and ready to go,” he told 9News Sydney.
Matt Burton seen during a training session in Las Vegas. Getty
“I am looking forward to it. Our focus is all good. We have had one training session so far.
“There are a lot of distractions, but we are locked in and ready to go.”
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Coach Cameron Ciraldo is also confident Burton will take the field, hinting that fans could see some of the skills that the playmaker is known for put on show.
“He has been hitting them pretty well lately, so I think you might see a couple of them,” Ciraldo told Wide World of Sports with Adam Hawse when asked about Burton’s viral kicks.
Ciraldo then went on to praise the commitment and perseverance of his playing group.
“I knew we were doing a signing session, but this is crazy. We are very grateful that so many fans have come over to support us,” he added.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how our guys have handled it.
“They have been really good. We had a good night out together (last week), and then we’ve knuckled down into preparations. We want to perform the best we possibly can.”