Has the NRL’s pay war left a clue about a future with American-style conferences?

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The NRL’s best players fear they could be forced to play more matches than ever before under a take-it-or-leave-it proposal they argue will leave the code’s stars on the brink of burnout.

A clause in the Australian Rugby League Commission’s final offer to the players’ union – spectacularly rejected on Wednesday amid a media blackout – has raised the prospect of the NRL increasing its regular season to a minimum of 26 matches per club.

Each team plays 24 games before finals in the current structure.

Any potential increase in the number of fixtures would allow the NRL to monetise the extra matches with broadcasters Nine Entertainment Co (the publisher of this masthead) and Foxtel, and would be the first time clubs have played more than 24 regular season games since 2001.

In a schedule that already includes the traditional All-Stars matches, a two-week made-for-TV pre-season challenge, a regular season and potential end-of-season international window, the addition of the clause into the NRL’s settlement proposal has been a major flashpoint.

In a leaked email sent to players this week and seen by this masthead, the Rugby League Players’ Association admitted the clause, which would require the NRL to only get agreement if they want to add more than two matches per club to the season, had caused consternation.

Jarome Luai and senior NRL stars have baulked at an NRL clause which could see the length of the season extended.Credit: Getty

“The NRL want to be able to add two more rounds to the NRL schedule without the agreement of the players,” the memo said. “That would be at least another 16 matches that they don’t have to agree with the RLPA.

“This would place a health and safety risk on players and is a clear player workload issue. At a time when the game has never been more intense, the NRL and ARL Commission should not be looking to increase the match obligations of players without agreement with you.

“We should be working in partnership to create a much-improved schedule that increases the career length of players. Agreement with players is not stopping the game from moving forward, it’s respecting the players as partners and working together.”

An extra two rounds means a player could theoretically be involved in 30 matches – without pre or end-of-season commitments – if he is in a team involved in all four weeks of the finals.

Rugby League Players’ Association boss Clint Newton.Credit: Rhett Wyman

But there could also be the potential for a more equitable NRL draw with the addition of an 18th team – potentially as soon as 2026 – and 25 matches per club.

It gives the NRL an opportunity to split the competition into two conferences of nine teams and allows every club to play a conference rival twice, and crossover teams once, potentially creating a cluster of rivalry matches in Sydney.

On Thursday, senior NRL officials who declined to speak on the record because of the negotiations denied there were immediate plans to increase the length of the NRL season, which was already brought forward one week this year to accommodate the introduction of the Dolphins.

They stressed they had given an undertaking with players there would be consultation if the season was to be increased by one or two games.

NRL sources also insisted the game’s most experienced players would have their annual leave entitlements increased to nine weeks, and maintained the $1.347 billion deal in player payments between 2023-27 was a landmark one.

It’s unlikely the NRL will pursue RLPA boss Clint Newton’s suggestion of an independent industrial relations arbiter to mediate the dispute, which has created a bitter divide between players and the administrators who run the sport.

The RLPA has agreed to future salary cap levels and minimum wage levels and is not arguing that part of the offer.

Canberra’s Ricky Stuart was the first NRL coach to take aim at the players’ union over the media blackout, which will involve players not talking to broadcasters and other outlets on any day an NRL, NRLW or State of Origin match is played. Origin coaching staff are expected to shoulder the majority of promotional commitments before the series finale next Wednesday night.

“I feel sorry for the players,” Stuart said. “Because I believe if you spoke to 95 per cent of the players they wouldn’t even know why they’re not allowed to talk to the media. I think they’re being used – and it’s wrong.

“There are young boys that have no idea why it’s [media blackout] there. I think they’re being used in this regard and I think it’s wrong.

“We’ve got very strong leadership, they know what is right for the game, they should be running the game – not the players.”

But the biggest victim could be the international game, with a planned tri-nations tournament between world champions Australia, finalists Samoa and New Zealand at the end of the year still to be locked in.

“International Rugby League is frustrated we’re not party to the negotiations, but we’re a victim of them,” International Rugby League chair Troy Grant said.

“The 20-month delay in this resolution is a 20-month cost to realising the potential of the international game on the back of [the World Cup]. It’s just lost opportunity. There’s so much positives out there, but we’re not in control of our destiny.”

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