NRL cancels season launch due to ongoing pay talks

The NRL season launch has become a casualty of the game’s pay dispute.

It has been tradition to kick off the league year with a glitzy event, but head office opted not to go ahead this season. The NRL, which had initially planned to hold the event in Brisbane before considering shifting it to the game’s Sydney headquarters, informed clubs of the decision on Tuesday.

Players had last month threatened to boycott the launch over the lack of progress during negotiations for a news collective bargaining agreement. While progress has been made in recent days – particularly since ARLC chairman Peter V’landys became personally involved in negotiations – the NRL chose not to proceed with the launch given the talks are ongoing.

Each club traditionally sends a captain and senior player to the event, which costs the NRL hundreds of thousands of dollars to stage. The decision not to proceed will save Rugby League Central the embarrassment of potential no-shows.

“Due to the ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations, the NRL will not hold a season launch function this Thursday as originally planned,” the NRL said in a statement.

“The NRL remains focussed on making positive progress regarding the joint NRL and NRLW agreements.”

The last major event boycotted by rugby league players was the 2003 Dally M Awards ceremony. The Rugby League Players’ Association made the call due to a lack of progress in pay talks at the time. A winner of the medal was never crowned, with most pundits of the belief that Craig Gower, who had a stellar year with Penrith, would have been the recipient.

Last year’s season launch was to be held in Penrith to mark their premiership success in 2021. However, it was cancelled due to flooding in the area and the money was donated to those affected.