NRL and NRLW players have formed new advisory groups (PAGs) and plan on meeting with rugby league’s governing bodies to table a number of issues they want addressed.
The two separate groups, along with the Rugby League Players Association, met last night to thrash out the biggest issues in the professional game and form an agenda to take to the NRL and Australian Rugby League Commission.
“Disappointingly this meeting comes against backdrop of repeated failures to agree on key matters with those most impacted,” an RLPA statement said.
“There is a united position among the player groups, that the NRL administration work with the RLPA on behalf of the players to ensure there is a genuine commitment regarding the players’ collective involvement in future decisions.”
Top of the agenda is the NRL’s decision to postpone the 2021 NRLW season, which was reportedly made without any consultation with players or Queensland Health.
The PGAs want to implement a collective bargaining agreement for female players, “as rugby league remains the only major sport in Australia without a women’s CBA in place”.
They also want “contract security” for the NRLW players.
“The players have persevered through structures that were developed and implemented without proper engagement from the start and were the ones who suffered as a result,” the RLPA said.
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The next big issue on the agenda is the ARLC and NRL implementing and changing rules of the game mid-season or at short notice and with no consultation with players.
It comes after ARLC chairman Peter V’landys controversially brought in the six-again rule among others, and then oversaw a crackdown on high contact after nine rounds of the season had been played, which resulted in a surge in sin-bins and send offs.
The PGAs and RLPA also want the NRL to forget about a recent proposal to increase the maximum fine it can impose on misbehaving players from $50,000 to $130,000.
“It’s not just important for us as players, I think it’s important for the game,” Canberra star and player advocate Josh Hodgson told SEN’s Mornings with Matty White.
“We are needed at the table. If you’re going to discuss game decisions in terms of rule changes, how we’re going to conduct ourselves as players on and off the field, judiciary issues, all things like that, then I think it’s important you have the players’ opinion, so when you make the decision you have player backing.
“It’s not only a good thing because you get player buy-in but if that decision doesn’t go quite right, then it will fall on us too so it’s not just the NRL all the time.”
The players will meet with the governing bodies tonight.
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