Andrew Abdo’s face-off with players as NRL given 48-hour deadline over CBA talks

Knights star Adam Elliott has hinted that players could look at taking extreme action should the NRL not come to the party as the game’s pay war explodes.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo. Picture: Richard Dobson

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo is set to face off with a slew of the game’s senior players amid warnings from Newcastle star Adam Elliott that head office has 48 hours to aim up or face the potential for “something extreme”.

Abdo will front the players in Sydney at a summit that was originally organised by the Rugby League Players Association to educate the game’s leaders, but has now turned into a key battleground in rugby league’s pay war.

As many as 60 players are understood to have attended the first day of the conference, which began on Friday morning.

Earlier this week, Abdo told News Corp that he wanted to address the players and he now has that opportunity as he looks to resolve a pay dispute that threatens to disrupt the start to the season.

Adam Elliott has hinted that NRL players could look at taking extreme action. Picture: NRL Photos

Elliott hinted that the players could look at taking extreme action should the NRL not come to the party — there has been talk that the opening week for the preseason competition could be interrupted by industrial action.

“If we don’t get the results in the next sort of 24-48 hours in the boardroom between our president, Clint Newton, Andrew Abdo and Peter V’Landys then we’re going to be speaking about different action that we’re going to take,” he told Nick, Jess and Ducko on Newcastle’s Hit106.9.

“We’re a really united playing group at the moment, it’s probably the most united and together I have ever seen a group.

“If it gets to the point where we’ve to do something extreme, I’m really confident that all the players are going to buy into it and be working together for that common goal. We’re rugby league players, we want to play footy.”

Elliot insisted the players were reluctant to go on strike. His comments come after the NRL and RLPA completed three days of talks aimed at finalising a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the women’s competition.

“The women’s CBA, it’s a joke at the moment,” Elliott said

“We want to talk about equality and trying to bring others up and make the game better and brighter for the future - those girls do such an amazing job in the community and they’re such great role models,

“We need to do something about it to get them on the same level as us and close to the same level as us and we’re not going to sit by and compromise those things.”

CRUCIAL TALKS AS ABDO AIMS TO END CBA SAGA

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo wants to personally address the game’s disgruntled playing group as he prepares for three days of crucial talks with the players union aimed at ending rugby league’s increasingly fraught collective bargaining negotiations.

In his most expansive interview yet on fractious negotiations with the Rugby League Players Association (RLPA), Abdo also refuted claims that the NRL were the enemy and spoke of his concerns that head office’s stance was being misrepresented to the players.

The coming days will be crucial in the code’s pay war. The NRL and RLPA have been trading barbs with no end seemingly in sight, prompting threats of industrial action and placing a cloud over the season launch amid fears it could be boycotted by the players.

Abdo insists the NRL has offered an unprecedented $1.3 billion deal that prioritises the players — both male and female — and gives them more power than at any point in the game’s history. The RLPA say there is more work to do and has accused the NRL of disrespect by announcing a salary cap for this season before the CBA has been finalised.

Abdo has largely kept his counsel — until now.

“We’re not the enemy,” Abdo said.

Andrew Abdo wants to personally address NRL players as CBA talks continue. Picture: Richard Dobson

“This is a ground breaking and outstanding deal for players. There is no doubt in my mind that information has been presented in a way that has caused trust to be eroded.

”I want to put to bed the concept of the players being disrespected or me not being engaged in the process. The NRL and NRLW players are among the best athletes in the world and they deserve to be well paid.

“That’s why we have offered our players an unprecedented pay rise. They deserve it because they’ve made the NRL and NRLW competitions the most exciting to watch in Australia.

“The total player payments are increasing by 37 per cent over the previous deal and when you break it down NRL players are receiving a 25 per cent increase.

“This has not been about disrespecting the players. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have made numerous formal offers to the players association, we have listened and actively sought solutions.

“I know that it is not just about the money. If there is a frustration because the players don’t feel like they are listened to, perhaps they are not getting the full story.

“Now is the time to come together and fix that.”

Abdo wants to do that by personally addressing the players. He also wants to make it clear that the female game and the women who play it are a priority for the NRL amid criticism over the glacial pace of talks related to the NRLW.

“The Commission has identified the growth of the women’s game as a real priority,” Abdo said.

Andrew Abdo says the women’s game is a priority for the NRL. Picture: Getty Images

“The NRL has been working on trying to finalise and get agreement with the RLPA for the NRLW to give the female players the certainty they deserve.

“The RLPA asked us to slow down and not open the NRLW contracting model, the RLPA asked us not to release the 2023 NRLW draw late last year.”

Abdo remains confident a deal will get done. For that to happen though, both sides have to lay down their guns and find some common ground.

Until then, rugby league will remain on war footing.

“I think it is very unfair to be painted like the NRL is holding up this process,” Abdo said.

“We have made in my view a very strong and compelling offer to improve and modernise the CBA. Our offer also includes a bigger seat at the table for players.

“Can we do everything they want to do? No. Why not? Because we always have to think about what is in the best interests of the game overall, not just one stakeholder group.

“I have a job to do. I’ll see this through. No-one likes this. The players want certainty, the clubs want certainty and the fans want to be hearing about the footy. So we have to get it done.”