The Perth Bears and coach Mal Meninga have been issued a combined $40,000 in fines for breaking the game’s new anti-tampering rules.

The NRL has issued two separate breach notices over comments Meninga made to News Corp recently, in which the inaugural Bears coach identified Bulldogs stars Matt Burton and Jacob Preston, as well as Panthers champion Nathan Cleary, as potential signings targets if they become free agents from November 1.

Meninga’s $20,000 fine has been suspended, while both he and the Perth franchise have five business days to respond to the proposed punishments.

Meninga’s name-dropping of possible marquee signings has been deemed the first breach of new anti-tampering rules that prevent club officials or player agents from publicly courting players who are under contract.

“There has also been a heap of noise around Matt Burton,” Meninga told News Corp after the club flew a reporter across the country to drum up publicity ahead of their 2027 entry to the competition.

“Jacob Preston, he’s someone coming off contract after 2027, we’ll be in the picture. We will have enough money in our cap to maybe chase a Nathan [Cleary] or a Jake if they come onto the open market.”

Perth Bears coach Mal Meninga has been fined for his comments about pursuing Nathan Cleary, Matt Burton and Jacob Preston.

The rule has been colloquially dubbed the “Gus rule” given the blowback from Phil Gould’s comments that Lachlan Galvin was “the best teenage footballer I’ve ever seen” while he was still contracted to the Tigers. Six months later, Galvin made a long-touted move from the Tigers to Canterbury.

The Bulldogs, who have been in extension talks with both Burton and Preston, triggered an NRL Integrity Unit investigation after complaining about Meninga’s comments.

Mal Meninga has endured a tumultuous start to his time as Perth coach.Trevor Collens

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Meninga, Bears fined $40k for breaking NRL’s new ‘Gus rule’ on anti-tampering