Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
Melbourne and Kangaroos hooker Harry Grant has some strong thoughts on the current stalemate between the players, the NRL and the clubs.
For starters, he thinks the players are being low-balled as talks between head office and the Rugby League Players Association over a new agreement get bogged down in a messy argument over money.
“For us as players, it’s our livelihood,” Grant said.
“We just need to get something sorted for everyone’s sake. We’ve put enough into this game, for what we get out of it they are low-balling us at the moment the NRL.
“As players we want to get it sorted. The RLPA does a great job for players and they’re negotiating pretty fair with the NRL.
“It is a little mad. I’m not heavily involved, but as a player I’d like to know it’s secure. Everyone is going out there to put their body on the line to bring this great spectacle to the game.
“For all the players have done throughout the year, we can’t get to an agreement at the moment.”
The players have some powerful allies. They have aligned themselves with the clubs, forming an influential cabal as they look to replace the agreement that expired on October 31.
So concerned are ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo, they have cancelled plans to fly to England to be at the final of the World Cup.
Former Nine Network boss Hugh Marks, who was brought in by the ARL Commission to initially oversee the talks, has also offered to return to resolve the stalemate.
At the heart of the issue is the players’ request for a set percentage of the game’s revenue. They also want more autonomy over where that money is spent.
RLPA chief executive Clint Newton is in the north of England and met the Kangaroos players late last week to update them on the state of talks.
Newton is poised to hold further talks with Abdo this week as he attempts to break the stalemate between players and NRL.
The clubs are also heaping pressure on the NRL – South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly, Raiders boss Don Furner and Storm head Justin Rodski are on the funding committee and due to hold talks with the NRL as well.
Meanwhile, frustration continues to grow in the playing ranks as they watch October 31 – the end of the rugby league financial year – come and go without an agreement being reached.
It means clubs are paying players in good faith at the moment, working off the advice of the NRL to operate at a cap of just over $9 million.
The actual cap for 2023 is likely to be closer to $11 million, maybe more.
“We’ve got some players in the squad who are heavily invested, as we all should be,” Grant said.
“It’s our future. At the end of the day we are going out there to put our bodies on the line. We don’t know what our future is going to look like in the game. “Some blokes are better off getting on the tools and doing whatever. At the end of the day you’re chasing a dream. I think a lot of people don’t realise what we put ourselves through.
“It’s not always that financially rewarding. You can’t really complain, we get to play footy for a living, but it is tough at times.” Former Nine Network boss Hugh Marks has offered to return to the negotiating table and help head office finalise an agreement with players and clubs.
