NRL pay war: RLPA refuses to concede growth funds or equal revenue share to NRLW players

The NRL’s player rights battle has taken a sinister turn, with new developments signalling a disconnect between the RLPA and those connected with the NRLW over the sharing of revenue.

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NRL’s player rights war has taken another sour turn amid claims the playing group was privately fractured along gender lines, with the players’ union allegedly refusing to concede growth funds or equal share of revenue to NRLW players.

Sources close to the negotiations claim the Rugby League Players’ Association attempted to separate the entire player pool into men and women when financials were being negotiated, hesitating to allow revenue earned by the men’s NRL competition to fund shortfalls in the women’s game.

As the NRL and NRLW playing group stand united publicly, sources close to the CBA negotiations suspect female players are unaware their male counterparts were unwilling to waterdown their player funding pool.

It’s claimed the debate through negotiations was that any revenue earned by the NRL would be passed on to the male players, with a reluctance to subsidise or invest in the women’s game with the introduction of more female players into the pot as the game grows.

Female players seem unaware of the RLPA’s stance. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

The RLPA’s hard line forced the NRL to increase their offer in order to get the pay deal done.

As a result, the NRL’s offer grew to its current $1.347 billion to provide for women’s players, which is understood to have come from a reduction of costs at head office and increasing the players’ share.

NRL boss Andrew Abdo didn’t want to participate in a public debate on Friday as tensions rise between the governing body and the union.

“The growth of the women’s game is a key priority for the Commission,” Abdo said. “The NRL and RLPA have both signed the NRLW CBA term sheet, which confirms player payments and conditions for the next five years.

“This brings never before seen benefits to the female players.

“The NRL and clubs have invested significantly in the women’s game recognising the role female players play in the current and future growth of the game.

“We are proud of the total offer made to players which was increased to $1.347 billion, ensuring that both male and female players will enjoy massive growth in player payments.”

NRL boss Andrew Abdo. Picture: Daily Telegraph, Monique Harmer

RLPA chief executive Clint Newtown on Friday night fired back at the claims, turning the bitter battle even uglier.

“I’m not going to have the men or the women discredited without evidence. It’s a baseless and ridiculous claim,” he said.

“This has turned ugly because we’re not rolling over, but we will keep sticking the facts and act on the will of the players

“Any type of revenue share that you’re in, any above forecast money, that would be shared to the playing group after consulting all our members, male and female. We’re not including the women’s share in the revenue share because we know that’s a necessary investment in the game and the women.

“The men’s share is 41.5 per cent, and then the women’s share is about four per cent. Women are at $117 million, men are at $1.230 billion.

“That’s been the case since December, no one’s asked for any more money, these amounts are not in dispute. Women are happy, men are happy.

“Women are going to be sharing in the funds that have been established from the men’s allocation. The men’s share captures injury hardship, medical support fund and general hardship fund. The women will share equally in that fund despite that coming from the men’s share which is a clear demonstrate that the players are one united group

“If you look at it, the women’s share probably ends up higher because they’ll have access to those funds which come from the men’s allocation.”

Employment and contract terms for a groundbreaking women’s collective bargaining agreement have already been agreed and signed off on by both parties, with NRLW players receiving a $900,000 salary cap this season which will grow to $1.5 million by 2027.

Those specific terms have not been proposed to be amended since they were negotiated and agreed on back in March.