Matt Burton set to visit Perth as Bears eye marquee exemption

Matt Burton is expected to visit Perth in the next week as the Bears look to make him their first marquee signing. The NRL has confirmed the details of Perth's marquee player exemption to rival clubs, which allows the Bears to pay one player up to an extra 20 per cent of his salary outside the cap, provided he earns at least $1 million a season and is one of their two highest-paid players. That means Burton is guaranteed at least $1.2 million a season, with Perth weighing an offer of at least four years worth more than $5 million with ratchet clauses, and over $6 million if he joins in 2027. Coach Mal Meninga described him as one of the most talented players in the game. The Bulldogs want him to stay as a centre and are comfortable paying around $825,000 a season plus a ratchet clause, which could reach $1 million once the cap rises.

By Brent Read, Michael Carayannis, CODE Sports — read the full story