BIO

After winning best and fairest awards playing Junior/Senior Colts for the Birdwood Football Club in the Hills Football League, Scott Burns joined Norwood's Under 15 squad.
 
The son of former North Adelaide (39 games) and West Adelaide (62 games) footballer Michael Burns, he was educated at Birdwood High School and rapidly developed into a classy and reliable footballer.
 
He made four appearances for the Redlegs Under 17's in 1989 and 20 in 1990. In 1991 Burns played another nine games in the Under 17's, one in the Under 19's and 10 in the Reserves.
 
Burns made his League debut in the middle of the 1992 season, against Central District at the Elizabeth Oval. He played 12 League games in his first year and was named the club's Best First Year Player. At the end of the season he was selected by Collingwood at number 90 in the National Draft.
 
Continuing his improvement under League coach Neil Craig, he was runner up in the 1993 Best and Fairest. Named on half-back flank, he was a member of the 1993 Grand Final team that was defeated by Woodville-West Torrens.
 
He played interstate football in 1994, winning the Fos Williams Medal for South Australia as the best player in the game against Western Australia. His excellent club form continued, and he was third in the 1994 Best and Fairest.
 
Burns decided to move to Collingwood for the start of the 1995 season along with Norwood team-mate Stephen Patterson, joining fellow ex-Redlegs Brett James, Craig Kelly and Tony Francis at the club.
 
The well-balanced, skilful defender/mid-fielder had a distinguished career in the Australian Football League. He made his AFL debut in 1995, missing only one game for the year. The following season Burns was runner-up in Collingwood's Best and Fairest award and played State of Origin for South Australia.
 
In 1999 he was appointed Collingwood's vice-captain. He was runner-up in the 2002 Best and Fairest, came third in 2003, and was appointed captain in 2008. Despite groin and re-occurring hamstring injuries and a broken arm, he played 265 games for the Collingwood Football Club.
 
After retiring at the end of the 2008 season, Burns was appointed as an assistant coach at the West Coast Eagles. At the completion of the 2013 season, he returned to Collingwood as an assistant (midfield) coach.
 
An accomplished batsman, Scott Burns also played A Grade cricket for East Torrens.

R Cialini Aug 2016