James Maloney slams NRL administration for portraying players as greedy and money hungry

JAMES Maloney has launched a withering attack on the NRL administration, accusing the game’s figureheads of misrepresenting the players as greedy and money hungry.

James Maloney isn’t happy with the NRL. Picture: Mark Evans

JAMES Maloney has launched a withering attack on the NRL administration, accusing the game’s figureheads of misrepresenting the players and purposely portraying them as greedy and money hungry.

A director of the Rugby League Players Association board, the NSW Origin five-eighth also slammed the NRL’s lack of accountability for how funding has been distributed across the code and also described the NRL as having a “backward attitude’’.

While he poured cold water over the threat of a player strike, Maloney said he was “frustrated” that a recent proposal submitted by the RLPA for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement was met with objection from the NRL.

Maloney has slammed the NRL for the CBA bungle.

“It’s disappointing to see the NRL go to clubs and deliver the wrong message about what our proposal is about — that we are being greedy and trying to bring the game to its knees, which is the complete opposite,’’ Maloney said.

“We just want a shared percentage of the revenue so our money moves in time with the game.

“If the game goes backwards our pay goes backwards. It’s not a greedy money grab.

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“The players in the past have suffered from mismanagement of how the NRL use funds.

“There doesn’t seem to be any accountability for how they spend their money.

“We got caught out in the last CBA when the game exceeded predictions and their forecasts by a long way.

“When we had a meeting to discuss the profitability and whether there was anything there for us, apparently the game wasn’t any more profitable even though they had well exceeded their forecasts.

“I suppose as a playing group that makes you scratch your head.’’

The RLPA’s proposal is based around the players distancing themselves from seeking increased wages via a raised salary cap, but instead an ongoing guaranteed percentage of money the games makes — a commitment which links the players own personal success to that of the game.

“It is disappointing how they misrepresent what players want,’’ Maloney said.

“There seems to be a real objection to the fixed share of revenue, which is surprising.

“As a playing group, the players aren’t going to accept anything less.

“I don’t know where it gets too, but as a playing group the players are pretty steadfast that is what we want.

To me, it doesn’t make any sense — why would you not want players incentivised to grow the game?

“Why would you not want players pushing in the same direction?

Maloney watches from the sideline during the ANZAC Test.

“It’s in everyone’s best interests to make rugby league better, to grow the game, and if that happens we are all rewarded in proportion.

“It just seems like a pretty backward attitude to be resisting that.’’

Asked if the possibility of a player strike was a consideration to break the stand-off, Maloney said: “You would hope it wouldn’t get to that.

“The last thing the players want and the game wants is a feud between everyone.

“There has already been publicity that the clubs are having issues with the NRL.

“It’s not how we want the game but we also want a fair share.”

Asked for comment, an NRL spokesperson said they had an agreement with the RLPA that they wouldn’t comment publicly on CBA negotiations.

Originally published as James Maloney slams NRL administration for portraying players as greedy and money hungry