Rugby league players have taken the extraordinary step of refusing to deal with the NRL when it comes to all media and promotional requests as the pay dispute continues to drag.
Members from the NRL’s media unit, NRL.com, arrived at Cronulla early on Monday to complete a number of interviews and photos, only to be politely turned away midway through the morning.
And officials from the Melbourne Storm and premiers Penrith have already informed the NRL they will not be fulfilling similar media requests scheduled for Tuesday.
The Herald can reveal the players decided to abandon all dealings with the NRL and their staff after the latest collective bargaining agreement proposal fell well short of expectations on Friday.
Senior players are expected to meet this week to discuss potential further measures when it comes to helping the NRL promote the new season.
The players believe the best way to make their frustrations known is to block all media requests from the NRL.
NRL chief executive Andrew AbdoCredit:Getty
The NRL was only made aware of the players’ blanket media and promotional ban when contacted by the Herald on Monday afternoon.
“We are aware of some players not participating in today’s club photo sessions with NRL staff – we are in ongoing discussions with the RLPA regarding these and other issues and look forward to an exciting 2023 season for our fans,” an NRL spokesperson later said.
The NRL has become frustrated themselves after offering $1.347 billion in total payments, up from $980m paid during the previous CBA, not to mention lifting the minimum wage payments from $80,000 to $120,000.
Despite the two parties kick-starting CBA talks more than 12 months ago, relations between the RLPA and NRL have never been more strained.
The NRL’s own website risks having no new content from players or coaches over the next six weeks in the countdown to round one.
The flashpoint arrived two days before Christmas when the NRL announced the new salary cap for 2023, only for the RLPA to slam the move as “disrespectful” and one they had never agreed to.
“For a governing body to set its own salary cap disrespects the entire player representation movement and the importance of collective bargaining,” the RLPA said at the time.
When the RLPA fired off an angry email to the clubs about the NRL’s ploy a few weeks later, ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys accused the players’ union via NewsCorp of “scaremongering”.
Some clubs have started working to the $11.45m cap figure spruiked by the NRL, but informed their players they will hold off making any back payments until they knew what direction the RLPA wanted to take.
They have backed the players’ stance not to deal with the NRL when it comes to helping the governing body with all promotional and commercial work, even if the stance stretches into the new season.
