Burton’s kicking skills garner NFL interest
BULLDOGS superstar Matt Burton’s agent has revealed he was approached by NFL scouts to take part in the combine – but said his client has “unfinished business” in rugby league.
Burton’s kicking ability caught the eye of sports fans across the world and his monster boot garnered attention in the American code.
David Riolo, who is one of rugby league’s biggest player agents and represents the Bulldogs gun, said that while the NFL isn’t on his client’s radar at this stage, he could be open to a move later in his career.
“He has been approached by scouts, to do stuff like that
(the NFL combine) and kick,” Riolo said. “He could do it tomorrow, the way he kicks a ball, but he wants to play footy and he is only young and has goals.
“The ARU are the same,
they came and said they’d love to be involved, but I think he has some business he needs to take care of in the sport he has grown up loving.
“His goals haven’t been achieved yet, he wants to be a starting player in Origin, one day at No.6, one day in the Australian jersey.
“And he wants to help the Bulldogs revive from where they are, but there’s a process to go through and I am not doing my job if I don’t look what commercial opportunities there are for him.”
Riolo also said there was “no reason” why Burton wouldn’t re-sign with the Bulldogs after coming off-contract on November 1. The gun playmaker has an option in his favour for the 2024 season but will likely sign a lucrative deal worth around $1m per season.
“There will be no reason, provided they can come up with his market value,” Rioli said.