NRL players in line for $20,000 bonus payment thanks to beefed up TV rights deal

EVERY NRL player could receive a $20,000 bonus payment thanks to the code's looming broadcast deal bonanza.

EVERY NRL player could receive a $20,000 bonus payment thanks to the code's looming broadcast deal bonanza.

Negotiations between players, clubs and the NRL will begin soon to finalise how to best distribute the new TV rights contract, tipped to be worth about $1.15 billion.

Clubs have already been told to set their 2013 rosters toward a $5 million salary cap, but the expected windfall could lift the ceiling a further $500,000.

While some clubs want the excess money to go directly toward a $5.5 million salary cap, NRL officials would prefer to reward the players via a one-off bonus or match payments.

At present all clubs have 25 NRL squad members, each of whom would receive a single $20,000 payment.

But as The Daily Telegraph revealed in January, salary cap auditor Ian Schubert supports a central match payment system to drip-feed excess money to the players. The model would see the NRL pay all players a fixed amount - believed to be $3000 - for each first grade appearance they make in 2013.

Schubert's plan is designed to benefit lower-paid footballers, because the match payments represent a bigger proportion of their base salary.

But there is also opposition from some clubs, which believe players would hide serious injury in pursuit of a weekly financial gain. NRL caretaker boss Shane Mattiske said both options were being considered to split "additional remuneration" beyond next year's preliminary $5 million cap.

"Due to the uncertainty of the TV deal, the clubs were told a number of months ago to work toward a $5 million cap for 2013," Mattiske said.

"There could be additional remuneration for the players outside that figure and there's a number of options for that.

"We could pay a straight bonus, match payments, retirement fund or additional representative bonuses.

"We have not agreed on any figures yet.

"But should the negotiations resolve to increase player payments (above a $5 million cap), all those alternatives will be discussed."

The first steps toward a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) began two weeks ago, when Mattiske met RLPA boss David Garnsey and leading players Robbie Farah, Steve Turner and Ben Creagh.

The RLPA's ultimate aim is to have the salary cap set at 25 per cent of the code's total revenue, which would equate to $6.2 million under a $1.15 billion broadcast deal.

But according to sources close to the negotiations, the percentage model will not be entertained until 2015.

The NRL wants to gradually increase the cap to prevent clubs from over-spending on players and endangering their long-term viability.