SPORTS AWARDS: Travis Burns played 202 games in the top two rugby league competitions in the world and plans to urge 11 junior sports stars to follow their dreams when he speaks at Tuesday's awards night.

Burns played 127 NRL and 75 Super League games and is guest speaker at Tuesday night's Daily News/Warwick Credit Union Junior Sports Star of the Year dinner at Hawker Rd Function Centre.

The dinner also incorporates the Condamine Sports Club Volunteer of the Year award. Member for Southern Downs Lawrence Springborg is MC.

Tickets are still available for the dinner but those attending are asked to buy tickets this Friday or call 46601355.

"I came from a little country town at Texas and managed to go as far as I could,” he said.

"I was getting paid to play sport for 14 or 15 years and was paid to travel around Australia and the world.”

He puts his success down to being dedicated, working hard and not being put off by a few road blocks along the way.

"I put my nose to the ground and got the break to go to Cronulla to play Jersey Flegg footy,” he said.

"Rugby league gave me an opportunity in life to play with some of the greatest players to play the game,” Burns said.

"I played with Ben Kennedy at Manly, he is a legend of the game. Glenn Stewart and Steve Matai were the grooms men at my wedding and went on to be two of the greats of the sport and win two premierships.

"I had the opportunity to play with Johnathan Thurston (JT) for two years when I was at the Cowboys, arguably the best to play rugby league.”

There was the opportunity at Penrith to play with Petero Civoniceva and Michael Jennings and in the words of Burns, "a young kid in Matt Moylan who is now Penrith captain”.

"Petero is a champion fellow, one of the nice guys,” he said.

Burns and wife Kristal enjoyed four years in England where he played for Hull Kingston Rovers and St Helens.

Their oldest, son Jake, plays his first game for Wattles in under-7s on Saturday. Daughter Poppy is two.

Burns also has his own game to play this weekend in the Intrust Super Cup game for Wynnum Seagulls against Townsville.

More than 120 people will be at the dinner on Tuesday night which will see the naming of the 24th Junior Sports Star of the Year, the Doc Bodimeade Encouragement Award winner and the fourth Condamine Sports Club Volunteer of the Year winner.

Friends and teammates are welcome to join the winners and nominees. Tickets at Daily News.