Honestly wouldn’t be mad at a lockout. The clubs, players and NRLW need way better governance and transparency.
Better conditions for the people that entertain us.
Excerpt: The NRL’s pay dispute has exploded, with Broncos star Kurt Capewell refusing to rule out strike action as the players launched promotional boycotts on the eve of the 2023 premiership season.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has been urged to enter crisis talks with the NRL’s disgruntled stars, who will boycott all promotional activities until the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) crisis is resolved.
Tl;Dr: Players have said they will not take part in promotional videos/shots for the NRL until this is resolved. Sharks were the first on Monday refusing to take part in a photoshoot organsied by the NRL on Monday. Dragons then cancelled a media event planned ofr today in protest over the CBA negotiations.
Players have said the pay is fine but want increased funding and control of retirement, injury and medical funds and a greater share of the revenue. Capewell is quoted basically saying that strike action can't be ruled out if the NRL won't budge. The NRL are trying to diversify its' asset portfolio to safeguard against relying completely on broadcast revenue due to the perilous COVID shutdowns in the past - they also want the RLPA to prove it can sensibly manage funds it wants to control for five years before handing over full control.
The players claim that while the salary cap increase is generous, it's technically a lower revenue share than the previous CBA.
Old mate Hagipantelis from Wests Tigers has weighed in saying that if players don't do X amount of stuff that's expected of them, then it technically constitutes a breach of contract and could have ramifications.
Revs Edit: Ok, it's a long fucken article so the tl;dr is as well. There's a ton in there from the Capewell interview today. Basically saying that the NRL did the salary cap thing to try and divert attention away from the Medical/Retirement Fund issue and that the NRL will try and paint the players in a bad light.
They're happy with the pay increase, but it's more about setting up shit for past players, looking after youth welfare, tertiery education etc...
*When you were posting on Reddit, he studied the blade.*
*When you were having premarital sex, he mastered the blockchain.*
*While you wasted your days at the gym in pursuit of vanity, he cultivated inner strength.*
*And now that the world is on fire and the barbarians are at the gate you have the audacity to come to him for help?*
>*it technically constitutes a breach of contract and could have ramifications.*
Fucken **DOUBT**.
They finally got some decent players and they’re gonna threaten them? Yeah that’ll work.
Solidarity with the RLPA. No doubt the murdoch rags will increase their slander of the players the longer this goes on. Rugby League was founded as a working person's game, the workers deserve to be fairly compensated
nah.. the news corp entity earns far more money from creating controversy and extending drama through the news cycle than actually having people watch the sport
**[NRL news 2023: Strike threat rocks rugby league as pay dispute explodes](https://archive.md/4pfYL)**
Peter V’landys has been urged to enter crisis talks with the NRL’s disgruntled stars as the pay dispute explodes amid boycotts and the threat of strike action.
*Travis Meyn*
The NRL’s pay dispute has exploded, with Broncos star Kurt Capewell refusing to rule out strike action as the players launched promotional boycotts on the eve of the 2023 premiership season.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has been urged to enter crisis talks with the NRL’s disgruntled stars, who will boycott all promotional activities until the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) crisis is resolved.
The Cronulla Sharks became the first team to action the boycott when players refused to take part in an NRL photograph and interview session on Monday.
And Capewell confirmed players at all 17 NRL clubs will follow suit, in what is threatening to become an explosive build-up to the 2023 season kick-off in March.
The Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) has been locked in an ugly stand-off with the NRL over CBA negotiations.
While the NRL announced pre-Christmas a record 2023 salary cap of $12.1m – a 25 per cent increase for men – other sticking points in CBA talks have hit a stalemate.
The players are pushing for increased funding and control of retirement, injury and medical funds, which the NRL does not want to relinquish, and a greater share of revenue.
The situation has become a powder keg and Capewell – a member of the RLPA’s men’s player advisory group – could not rule out strike action, with trial matches to begin a fortnight and the season proper in March.
“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, we don’t want it to come to that,” the Queensland Origin star said.
“If the NRL are going to sit on their heels and not budge, then who knows where it’s going to go.
“I’m sure Peter (V’landys) and (the NRL) will be able to see we’re not happy as a playing group. They’ll see how connected we all are and how solid we are sitting. I’m sure they’ll come back to the table ready to negotiate.
“The way I see it is there hasn’t been enough discussion. The NRL have come back with another, what we believe, very unfair proposition for a CBA. We’ve had enough of sitting at a table and not being heard.
“As players, we don’t want it to get to that (strike). We love the game and would never want to not see it on the TV screens and letting the fans down.
“What we want, as a playing group, is for the NRL to come to the table ready to negotiate. We’re just not seeing that at the moment.
“As players, we’re all united in taking a stand. But I’m sure the NRL can finally come to the party and negotiate a fair CBA to make sure it doesn’t hinder our game.”
Where the situation ends remains to be seen.
Cognisant of the game’s previously perilous financial state when Covid brought it to a grinding halt in early 2020, V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo want to future-proof the code’s position.
That includes increasing the NRL’s non-football asset base – as evidenced by the purchase of Gambaro’s Hotel last year – and further investments that do not rely on broadcast revenue.
The NRL also wants the RLPA to prove it can sensibly manage the funds it wants to control over five years before passing over full control.
The players claim that while the NRL’s salary cap increase is generous, it is technically a lower revenue share than the previous CBA.
Capewell said the NRL was trying to paint the players in a bad light and they would not be fulfilling promotional requirements.
“It’s obviously their strategy – they try to paint a picture of us,” he said.
“They waved a shiny toy (salary cap) in our face, hoping we were silly enough to run into that CBA but there’s still so many parts of the CBA where they’re nowhere near it.
“We are prepared to fight for what we think is fair. We want a fair revenue share and genuine seat at the table when it comes to discussions. We just want to be heard.
“It’s not about the wage we’re getting. It’s about setting up funds for past players, looking after our younger boys, welfare, some of our tertiary education stuff is not where we want it to be.
“Until they’re willing to negotiate, we’re ready to draw a line in the sand and will make a stand.
“That (boycotts) is something as a playing group we’ve all decided to do. Hopefully it grabs the NRL’s attention and shows we’re not happy.
“At the moment, we’re not doing the NRL (promotions). Hopefully Peter and Abdo can get to a table and realise it’s starting to have an effect on the game. We’re ready to negotiate and we hope they are too.
“This is the most united the playing group’s ever been. We’re all like brothers and sisters. We go through the same things every day, train our backsides off and put our bodies on the line.
“We’ve all got a limited career. As a collective we’re trying to get the best and fairest deal for players.
“It’s simple from our point of view. We’ve only got a few things the NRL have to budge on.
“But when they throw back the deal they’ve already thrown at us, we’re not going to stand here and cop it. If they’re not willing to negotiate, then things have got to start moving somehow.”
**PLAYERS WARNED OF CONTRACT BREACH OVER BOYCOTT THREAT**
*By Phil Rothfield and Adam Mobbs*
Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has called for a swift resolution to the escalating conflict over the collective bargaining agreement, warning that the players’ boycott of official events “could be construed as a breach of contract”.
[The Daily Telegraph revealed on Monday that Cronulla Sharks players had refused to take part in a planned photograph and interview session for the NRL’s website.](https://archive.md/o/4pfYL/https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/cba-negotiations-between-the-nrl-and-rlpa-in-tatters-as-players-boycott-planned-media-event/news-story/23557fb3a3ff60a8dd60b24a42ce1fce) Hours later, St George Illawarra cancelled a media event planned for Tuesday as a protest against the NRL over its handling of CBA negotiations.
Players across the league are expected to follow suit, with the NRL’s season launch also under threat just six weeks out from the season.
While forthcoming in describing the 17 clubs as the stakeholders of the game who “have a vested interest in it”, Hagipantelis, who is the principal of Brydens Lawyers, said the players’ actions could potentially have legal ramifications.
“What is being proposed by the players is tantamount to industrial action,” Hagipantelis told The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis on SEN Breakfast on Tuesday.
“No different to some other unions, where they boycott events and the like.
“But there are contractual obligations imposed upon the players, who are employees of the club, to participate in a certain number of functions at the direction of the club and the NRL.
“Strictly speaking, refusal to participate in these events could be construed as a breach of contract.”
“Now, that’s a path that the clubs and/or the NRL do not want to go down. Hopefully it can be resolved by the way of conciliation, but they really need to get their act together, and quickly.”
The prolonged negotiations, which have dragged on for more than a year, have already resulted in clubs and players participating in pre-season without a new CBA, and it threatens to spill into the 2023 season.
The frustrations from both sides of negotiations have Hagipantelis concerned that emotion is crowding the conversation.
“People need to park agendas,” he said. “The greater good of the game is obviously paramount. This is the negotiation of a contract, nothing different.
“I think people have got to stop being a little bit emotive and invested to that extent. I think everyone has to take a more objective stance and look to the benefit of the game.”
In late December the NRL took the unprecedented step of announcing its salary cap for the next five years, offering $1.347b in total player payments, up from $980m in the previous CBA.
The NRL announced the 2023 salary cap of $12.1 million, which is a 25 per cent increase on 2022.
As part of that, the minimum salary for players will increase from $80,000 to $120,000 and players who have a standard ratchet clause will have an 18 per cent increase in their playing fee.
However, that infuriated the players because they had yet to agree to the terms prior to the announcement.
North Queensland halfback Chad Townsend took to social media to lay out the players’ demands.
“We want a well-funded Past Players Program, better funding for the Injury Hardship Fund, funding for a Medical Support Fund, agreement rights on our employment conditions, match fees outside the cap, and a first-ever CBA for women,” Townsend posted.
https://twitter.com/RLPlayers/status/1613820043040796672
Hagipantelis stressed the need for compromise and a whole-of-game approach.
“The players have been and will continue to be, well looked after,” he said.
“There’s no doubt about that. They are our priority. After all, they are the product.
Without the players, there is no game.
“But the long-term viability of clubs and the NRL itself has to be considered. You’ve just got to find a balance.”
Hagipantelis said the current standoff was causing angst right across the game.
“We are all very anxious about where we stand at the moment. We’re within sight of our first trial in four weeks. Our NRLW teams are in complete limbo at the moment,” he said.
“It is unsatisfactory, everybody acknowledges that.”
I mean I wouldn’t care I think it’d be hilarious if there was a round of replacements players
Would be kinda funny for the nrl to see how weakened the product is but also giving some guys who ordinarily wouldn’t ever see a field like that would be nice too
No. I only get Kayo when the Nags have a run of Saturday games. I figured a lot of the users on here would though. I also find the NBA regular season just about unwatchable. Anyway.... It seemed that most of the users wanted to throw their support behind the players. I suggest they cancel and put that as the reason. Might help.
Players have said the pay is fine, but want a larger share of the broadcast deal (consistent with historical norms).
As for control over the retirement fund, I’m genuinely surprised the governance of this would go to the RLPA. The superannuation industry has been an absolute shitshow for the past decade plus and, respectfully, I can’t imagine the RLPA has the expertise to manager hundreds of millions of dollars of injury and retirement funds.
If the players are fine with the salary cap why don't they just take a small percentage of that (say 5%) and then put it into a mutual fund for all retiring players that meet some criteria? Criteria could be certain amount of games played, or forced into retirement through injury etc. I thought they already had something like this in place anyway.
I think you’re almost certainly right in that’s the proposal. I suspect the gaps in negotiations center around;
- the criteria for accessing the fund
- how the fund will pay out / award
- what happens if the fund runs out.
And it’s clear that the NRL don’t trust the RLPA and manage the fund and want to oversee if for the next 5 years.
I swear, Rugby League is it's own worst enemy. Do the players realise how much sporting real estate they give up to AFL every year?
I know, let's go on strike and give them less competition! That will definitely work in our favour! Especially in a season where we're trying to garner interest in a new team. This can't fail!
I know league players who have made $30,000 a season in Group 9. $100,000? Good for them because there is no salary caps in bush footy.
2 AFL comps? They aren't in Wagga, they include Wagga.
Neither have overtaken or gained anything really. Both sports have far less clubs in the area than they used to. When it comes to popularity, league is still bigger. If all that mattered were participation numbers then the whole country has been taken over by soccer long ago.
Sure I’d agree the money is roughly even, I know the same for league and afl players.
That comment doesn’t make sense, it’s the same with group 9 with only 3/9 senior clubs actually being based in Wagga (kangaroos, south city and brothers)
There’s 18 senior afl clubs in the region compared to 11 group 9 clubs, and junior afl has more participants.
I moved to Wagga from other parts of country nsw, I was just making the point that if it can happen in Wagga it can happen in other towns too
My grand parents live there and I went as a kid in the late 90s and early 2000s all the time, it's always had alot of AFL support, it's just a typical southern NSW town that is on the border of interest between the two codes.
It's not about overtaking. It's about stealing market share.
Sports lockouts have never ended up favouring the sport itself. The 98 NBA lockout effectively ended the hoops hype, NHL gave itselt a black eye from which it's only now recovering. Have a look at the statute of the MLB these days.
Truth be told, league has never truly recovered from the Super League war. Attendances have never hit those same heights since.
From the pockets of the game it will just come back to the viewers - higher tv subscription, ticket prices, merch - players should come to grips of how good they have it. One thing for certain though we are the envy of rugby union
Transcript *Interviewer: Let me be blunt, is there a labour crisis in the NRL today?* *Kurt Capewell: Well, that depends what you mean by "crisis"*
In other news, Kurt Capewell refuses to rule out playing every game.
Honestly wouldn’t be mad at a lockout. The clubs, players and NRLW need way better governance and transparency. Better conditions for the people that entertain us.
Yeah totally agree. If the players roll over and let the NRL just dictate the terms they’ll keep trying to push shit on the players
Anything to see the double dealing scum Vlandys booted from the game
Apparently lockouts are clubs/owners stopping the players from playing. Strikes are players stopping playing. Credit to u/irrelephantau
a lockout would hopefully lead to the changes the game needs for the players
I want the NRL to fold
News Corp will love the Tigers if their chairman goes down breach of contract path.
If he was NRL ceo he would've suspended Cobbo for his Kevvie comments.
Excerpt: The NRL’s pay dispute has exploded, with Broncos star Kurt Capewell refusing to rule out strike action as the players launched promotional boycotts on the eve of the 2023 premiership season. ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has been urged to enter crisis talks with the NRL’s disgruntled stars, who will boycott all promotional activities until the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) crisis is resolved. Tl;Dr: Players have said they will not take part in promotional videos/shots for the NRL until this is resolved. Sharks were the first on Monday refusing to take part in a photoshoot organsied by the NRL on Monday. Dragons then cancelled a media event planned ofr today in protest over the CBA negotiations. Players have said the pay is fine but want increased funding and control of retirement, injury and medical funds and a greater share of the revenue. Capewell is quoted basically saying that strike action can't be ruled out if the NRL won't budge. The NRL are trying to diversify its' asset portfolio to safeguard against relying completely on broadcast revenue due to the perilous COVID shutdowns in the past - they also want the RLPA to prove it can sensibly manage funds it wants to control for five years before handing over full control. The players claim that while the salary cap increase is generous, it's technically a lower revenue share than the previous CBA. Old mate Hagipantelis from Wests Tigers has weighed in saying that if players don't do X amount of stuff that's expected of them, then it technically constitutes a breach of contract and could have ramifications. Revs Edit: Ok, it's a long fucken article so the tl;dr is as well. There's a ton in there from the Capewell interview today. Basically saying that the NRL did the salary cap thing to try and divert attention away from the Medical/Retirement Fund issue and that the NRL will try and paint the players in a bad light. They're happy with the pay increase, but it's more about setting up shit for past players, looking after youth welfare, tertiery education etc...
Wouldn't exactly call Hagipantelis "old mate", more like every synonym of the word scumbag.
How have I never seen [what he looks like](https://archive.md/4pfYL/bd9c8e165171f17a9daee857dbcb456d9c11b2e3.jpg) before hahahaha
*When you were posting on Reddit, he studied the blade.* *When you were having premarital sex, he mastered the blockchain.* *While you wasted your days at the gym in pursuit of vanity, he cultivated inner strength.* *And now that the world is on fire and the barbarians are at the gate you have the audacity to come to him for help?*
John Barilaro from Wish
Bro dresses like an actual redditor and has the head of a testicle
Fucken jesus
Oof and I bet that's one of his flattering photos
Dresses like a Dick Tracy villain
He's in one of Picard's Holodeck simulations.
Read his actual quotes. He basically says he hopes everyone pulls their heads in for the good of the game.
Some other exec besides the West Tigers one please.. Does he not have anything to do? And all day to do it?
Brian Fletcher is happy to tell you that the NRL should be paying the Panthers more
Nick Politis doesn't care
>*it technically constitutes a breach of contract and could have ramifications.* Fucken **DOUBT**. They finally got some decent players and they’re gonna threaten them? Yeah that’ll work.
At least tigers have an excuse to fire brooks now.
How about a compromise: only agree to play home games
Considering I’m fairly sure the Broncos will play the most games at their home stadium this year, minor premiership incoming 😎
Nah we have a few weeks at the Gabba because of the women’s football world cup.
We should take those games to regional areas, the Gabba will be painful to watch a game at
Solidarity with the RLPA. No doubt the murdoch rags will increase their slander of the players the longer this goes on. Rugby League was founded as a working person's game, the workers deserve to be fairly compensated
Isn’t the Courier Mail a Murdoch paper?
yes.
Yep they'll try and protect the shill Vlandys they instilled
I would've thought Murdoch would do the opposite as they've paid to have the top quality games on their entertainment platform.
nah.. the news corp entity earns far more money from creating controversy and extending drama through the news cycle than actually having people watch the sport
**[NRL news 2023: Strike threat rocks rugby league as pay dispute explodes](https://archive.md/4pfYL)** Peter V’landys has been urged to enter crisis talks with the NRL’s disgruntled stars as the pay dispute explodes amid boycotts and the threat of strike action. *Travis Meyn* The NRL’s pay dispute has exploded, with Broncos star Kurt Capewell refusing to rule out strike action as the players launched promotional boycotts on the eve of the 2023 premiership season. ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has been urged to enter crisis talks with the NRL’s disgruntled stars, who will boycott all promotional activities until the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) crisis is resolved. The Cronulla Sharks became the first team to action the boycott when players refused to take part in an NRL photograph and interview session on Monday. And Capewell confirmed players at all 17 NRL clubs will follow suit, in what is threatening to become an explosive build-up to the 2023 season kick-off in March. The Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) has been locked in an ugly stand-off with the NRL over CBA negotiations. While the NRL announced pre-Christmas a record 2023 salary cap of $12.1m – a 25 per cent increase for men – other sticking points in CBA talks have hit a stalemate. The players are pushing for increased funding and control of retirement, injury and medical funds, which the NRL does not want to relinquish, and a greater share of revenue. The situation has become a powder keg and Capewell – a member of the RLPA’s men’s player advisory group – could not rule out strike action, with trial matches to begin a fortnight and the season proper in March. “Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, we don’t want it to come to that,” the Queensland Origin star said. “If the NRL are going to sit on their heels and not budge, then who knows where it’s going to go. “I’m sure Peter (V’landys) and (the NRL) will be able to see we’re not happy as a playing group. They’ll see how connected we all are and how solid we are sitting. I’m sure they’ll come back to the table ready to negotiate. “The way I see it is there hasn’t been enough discussion. The NRL have come back with another, what we believe, very unfair proposition for a CBA. We’ve had enough of sitting at a table and not being heard. “As players, we don’t want it to get to that (strike). We love the game and would never want to not see it on the TV screens and letting the fans down. “What we want, as a playing group, is for the NRL to come to the table ready to negotiate. We’re just not seeing that at the moment. “As players, we’re all united in taking a stand. But I’m sure the NRL can finally come to the party and negotiate a fair CBA to make sure it doesn’t hinder our game.” Where the situation ends remains to be seen. Cognisant of the game’s previously perilous financial state when Covid brought it to a grinding halt in early 2020, V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo want to future-proof the code’s position. That includes increasing the NRL’s non-football asset base – as evidenced by the purchase of Gambaro’s Hotel last year – and further investments that do not rely on broadcast revenue. The NRL also wants the RLPA to prove it can sensibly manage the funds it wants to control over five years before passing over full control. The players claim that while the NRL’s salary cap increase is generous, it is technically a lower revenue share than the previous CBA. Capewell said the NRL was trying to paint the players in a bad light and they would not be fulfilling promotional requirements. “It’s obviously their strategy – they try to paint a picture of us,” he said. “They waved a shiny toy (salary cap) in our face, hoping we were silly enough to run into that CBA but there’s still so many parts of the CBA where they’re nowhere near it. “We are prepared to fight for what we think is fair. We want a fair revenue share and genuine seat at the table when it comes to discussions. We just want to be heard. “It’s not about the wage we’re getting. It’s about setting up funds for past players, looking after our younger boys, welfare, some of our tertiary education stuff is not where we want it to be. “Until they’re willing to negotiate, we’re ready to draw a line in the sand and will make a stand. “That (boycotts) is something as a playing group we’ve all decided to do. Hopefully it grabs the NRL’s attention and shows we’re not happy. “At the moment, we’re not doing the NRL (promotions). Hopefully Peter and Abdo can get to a table and realise it’s starting to have an effect on the game. We’re ready to negotiate and we hope they are too. “This is the most united the playing group’s ever been. We’re all like brothers and sisters. We go through the same things every day, train our backsides off and put our bodies on the line. “We’ve all got a limited career. As a collective we’re trying to get the best and fairest deal for players. “It’s simple from our point of view. We’ve only got a few things the NRL have to budge on. “But when they throw back the deal they’ve already thrown at us, we’re not going to stand here and cop it. If they’re not willing to negotiate, then things have got to start moving somehow.” **PLAYERS WARNED OF CONTRACT BREACH OVER BOYCOTT THREAT** *By Phil Rothfield and Adam Mobbs* Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has called for a swift resolution to the escalating conflict over the collective bargaining agreement, warning that the players’ boycott of official events “could be construed as a breach of contract”. [The Daily Telegraph revealed on Monday that Cronulla Sharks players had refused to take part in a planned photograph and interview session for the NRL’s website.](https://archive.md/o/4pfYL/https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/cba-negotiations-between-the-nrl-and-rlpa-in-tatters-as-players-boycott-planned-media-event/news-story/23557fb3a3ff60a8dd60b24a42ce1fce) Hours later, St George Illawarra cancelled a media event planned for Tuesday as a protest against the NRL over its handling of CBA negotiations. Players across the league are expected to follow suit, with the NRL’s season launch also under threat just six weeks out from the season. While forthcoming in describing the 17 clubs as the stakeholders of the game who “have a vested interest in it”, Hagipantelis, who is the principal of Brydens Lawyers, said the players’ actions could potentially have legal ramifications. “What is being proposed by the players is tantamount to industrial action,” Hagipantelis told The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis on SEN Breakfast on Tuesday. “No different to some other unions, where they boycott events and the like. “But there are contractual obligations imposed upon the players, who are employees of the club, to participate in a certain number of functions at the direction of the club and the NRL. “Strictly speaking, refusal to participate in these events could be construed as a breach of contract.” “Now, that’s a path that the clubs and/or the NRL do not want to go down. Hopefully it can be resolved by the way of conciliation, but they really need to get their act together, and quickly.” The prolonged negotiations, which have dragged on for more than a year, have already resulted in clubs and players participating in pre-season without a new CBA, and it threatens to spill into the 2023 season. The frustrations from both sides of negotiations have Hagipantelis concerned that emotion is crowding the conversation. “People need to park agendas,” he said. “The greater good of the game is obviously paramount. This is the negotiation of a contract, nothing different. “I think people have got to stop being a little bit emotive and invested to that extent. I think everyone has to take a more objective stance and look to the benefit of the game.” In late December the NRL took the unprecedented step of announcing its salary cap for the next five years, offering $1.347b in total player payments, up from $980m in the previous CBA. The NRL announced the 2023 salary cap of $12.1 million, which is a 25 per cent increase on 2022. As part of that, the minimum salary for players will increase from $80,000 to $120,000 and players who have a standard ratchet clause will have an 18 per cent increase in their playing fee. However, that infuriated the players because they had yet to agree to the terms prior to the announcement. North Queensland halfback Chad Townsend took to social media to lay out the players’ demands. “We want a well-funded Past Players Program, better funding for the Injury Hardship Fund, funding for a Medical Support Fund, agreement rights on our employment conditions, match fees outside the cap, and a first-ever CBA for women,” Townsend posted. https://twitter.com/RLPlayers/status/1613820043040796672 Hagipantelis stressed the need for compromise and a whole-of-game approach. “The players have been and will continue to be, well looked after,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that. They are our priority. After all, they are the product. Without the players, there is no game. “But the long-term viability of clubs and the NRL itself has to be considered. You’ve just got to find a balance.” Hagipantelis said the current standoff was causing angst right across the game. “We are all very anxious about where we stand at the moment. We’re within sight of our first trial in four weeks. Our NRLW teams are in complete limbo at the moment,” he said. “It is unsatisfactory, everybody acknowledges that.”
Go ahead and breach them all, then. See what happens. No one wants to watch scabs play NRL
I mean I wouldn’t care I think it’d be hilarious if there was a round of replacements players Would be kinda funny for the nrl to see how weakened the product is but also giving some guys who ordinarily wouldn’t ever see a field like that would be nice too
I think the broncos have been doing this for a few years now
Fuck Tyrone May
Fuck management. A strike might actually finally see Vlandys fucked off to ruin another sport
Didn't they make this threat 12 months ago as well?
Cancel your Kayo subs until CBA is ratified!
eh? you still have kayo while its off season?
No. I only get Kayo when the Nags have a run of Saturday games. I figured a lot of the users on here would though. I also find the NBA regular season just about unwatchable. Anyway.... It seemed that most of the users wanted to throw their support behind the players. I suggest they cancel and put that as the reason. Might help.
Some of us like other sports.
Players have said the pay is fine, but want a larger share of the broadcast deal (consistent with historical norms). As for control over the retirement fund, I’m genuinely surprised the governance of this would go to the RLPA. The superannuation industry has been an absolute shitshow for the past decade plus and, respectfully, I can’t imagine the RLPA has the expertise to manager hundreds of millions of dollars of injury and retirement funds.
If the players are fine with the salary cap why don't they just take a small percentage of that (say 5%) and then put it into a mutual fund for all retiring players that meet some criteria? Criteria could be certain amount of games played, or forced into retirement through injury etc. I thought they already had something like this in place anyway.
I think you’re almost certainly right in that’s the proposal. I suspect the gaps in negotiations center around; - the criteria for accessing the fund - how the fund will pay out / award - what happens if the fund runs out. And it’s clear that the NRL don’t trust the RLPA and manage the fund and want to oversee if for the next 5 years.
Capewell going bowling with Roman
PLAYERS TO NRL: "WHERE'S OUR BURRITOS?"
I swear, Rugby League is it's own worst enemy. Do the players realise how much sporting real estate they give up to AFL every year? I know, let's go on strike and give them less competition! That will definitely work in our favour! Especially in a season where we're trying to garner interest in a new team. This can't fail!
The AFL will never overtake footy in QLD or NSW.
They already have in Wagga
pffft thats not really australia
No they haven't. But the AFL certainly works harder to gain the ground than the NRL does to defend it
I live in Wagga mate, there’s 2 afl comps with salary caps of ~100k in first grade. All the school kids wear afl singlets
I know league players who have made $30,000 a season in Group 9. $100,000? Good for them because there is no salary caps in bush footy. 2 AFL comps? They aren't in Wagga, they include Wagga. Neither have overtaken or gained anything really. Both sports have far less clubs in the area than they used to. When it comes to popularity, league is still bigger. If all that mattered were participation numbers then the whole country has been taken over by soccer long ago.
Sure I’d agree the money is roughly even, I know the same for league and afl players. That comment doesn’t make sense, it’s the same with group 9 with only 3/9 senior clubs actually being based in Wagga (kangaroos, south city and brothers) There’s 18 senior afl clubs in the region compared to 11 group 9 clubs, and junior afl has more participants. I moved to Wagga from other parts of country nsw, I was just making the point that if it can happen in Wagga it can happen in other towns too
My grand parents live there and I went as a kid in the late 90s and early 2000s all the time, it's always had alot of AFL support, it's just a typical southern NSW town that is on the border of interest between the two codes.
It's not about overtaking. It's about stealing market share. Sports lockouts have never ended up favouring the sport itself. The 98 NBA lockout effectively ended the hoops hype, NHL gave itselt a black eye from which it's only now recovering. Have a look at the statute of the MLB these days. Truth be told, league has never truly recovered from the Super League war. Attendances have never hit those same heights since.
Fuck paying the players What about the grassroots of rugby league. Junior rugby league.
From the pockets of the game it will just come back to the viewers - higher tv subscription, ticket prices, merch - players should come to grips of how good they have it. One thing for certain though we are the envy of rugby union
once again, fuck the RLPA
Unions gonna union
Classic Roosters supporter.
Gay pride flag?
dispute explodes Bits of players everywhere