Keep playing: NRL trials continue as planned as CBA talks begin to accelerate
Fans can expect normal business during this weekend’s preseason NRL challenge, with players unlikely to boycott games or cover logos after weeks of unrest.
High-profile stars Reed Mahoney, Shaun Lane and Isaah Yeo said during the week that the new pre-season tournament could be impacted if a deadline is missed in ongoing collective bargaining.
The original Thursday night deadline came and went without interruption as the Warriors defeated the Wests Tigers and there were no major announcements on Friday before the double-header at Gosford.
“It can happen — and we don’t want it to happen — but it’s been talked about,” Mahoney said Thursday afternoon.
“We want it as much as they do, but we have to stay strong. You saw how united the playgroup is. Players want to be looked after and the NRL needs to see that.
“That (strikingly) can happen, but hopefully we don’t get that far.
“It’s been a long process and there’s quite a struggle now. We as players agree and we stand up for what we think is right.
“We hope the NRL can come to the party too and we can move on so we can play the game we love, which is NRL. Hopefully that will be possible soon.”
But any threat of a boycott appears to have simmered after positive talks between the Rugby League Players Association and the NRL.
Some players received calls Thursday night telling them positive steps were being taken to resolve the women’s CBA while other matters are still being worked out, including financial details for a proposed hardship fund and long-term player insurance.
The CBA is more than three months late, but the latest update is the first piece of good news in weeks as NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and RLPA CEO Clint Newton work toward a fix.
The encouraging progress means this weekend’s games can go ahead as planned, with players unlikely to cover NRL logos on their shirts while kick-off times will not be affected.
There has been no official word from either party, but both the NRL and RLPA would like to have deals settled before the men’s competition begins on March 2.
