A two-time New South Wales Blues representative, Matt Burton, may easily be one of the best players at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, but that hasn’t stopped him from being linked with a bombshell exit from the club.
Joining the Bulldogs in 2022 from the Penrith Panthers, the 25-year-old has played a starring role in helping the club turn around their fortunes from the bottom of the ladder to a premiership threat.
However, he could potentially depart the club earlier than expected.
According to Wide World of Sports, the Bulldogs aren’t opposed to Burton linking up with the Perth Bears in 2027 and would consider releasing him from the final season of his contract to join the NRL’s newest expansion team.
He remains contracted until the end of 2027.
The publication reports that Burton is possibly looking for a package deal in the coming years, which would see him play alongside brother-in-law Aston Warwrick, who is currently playing in the NSW Cup competition for the Sydney Roosters.
Burton isn’t the first Bulldogs player to find himself linked to the Perth Bears, with the expansion side eyeing halfback Toby Sexton and young forward Zyon Maiu’u in recent weeks.
Although Sexton has agreed to join the Catalans Dragons on a two-year contract, he has previously confirmed his interest in making the move to the side and is likely to have an NRL clause in his Super League contract, although this has yet to be confirmed.
On the other hand, Maiu’u is one of the club’s newest signings after joining from the New Zealand Warriors, but has failed to make an impact and has spent all his time playing reserve-grade in the NSW Cup.
Only 22, the back-rower was recently offered to rival teams in June, less than six months after he arrived at the club.
“Eventually it’s something that might interest me,” Sexton said about a possible move to the Perth Bears in the future.
“At the moment, I’ve signed a two-year deal with Catalans, so that’s my focus. Where we’re at by the end of it is something I will work out when I sit down with my manager.
“I’m happy with the contract I’ve signed over there, and at the end of that, I will work out what the best option is for.
“But I’d like to think the NRL isn’t finished for me and I can play NRL again one day.”
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