NRL players back down from industrial action in trial matches and All Stars match in NZ as CBA negotiations with NRL take positive turn
- The RLPA and NRL have been negotiating the CBA since last year
- Players had threatened to strike if demands were not met
- They have backed down on industrial action in this weekend’s matches
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Strike action over the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations with the NRL have been put on hold for now, with players to go ahead with trial matches tonight.
There had been speculation that players could stand down or cover sponsor logos in tonight’s matches between the Newcastle Knights and Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney Rabbitohs and Manly Sea Eagles, while the All-Stars game will be held in Rotorua on Saturday.
Viliami Vailea of the Warriors dives over to score a try during the NRL trial match between New Zealand Warriors and Wests Tigers on Thursday night
In a major boost for the upcoming NRL season, players have agreed not to carry out industrial action that would impact the trials.
NRL players had threatened industrial action in the trials including delaying kick-off times, covering NRL logos on their jerseys and refusing media requests.
However after significant progress was made behind closed doors with NRL boss Andrew Abdo in the tense CBA negotiations, the players have elected to not proceed with those actions.
The Rugby League Players Assocation [RLPA] initially set a Thursday deadline to reach an agreement with the NRL on three of the key conditions in the CBA talks, but opted to decide by lunchtime on Friday about whether to disrupt the trial matches.
They backed down after RLPA chief Clint Newton and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo met late Thursday night. On Friday, both travelled to Rotorua for the All-Stars game.
Penrith’s Isaah Yeo spoke to media on Wednesday and said at the time strike action remained a real possibility.
‘I feel like we’ve given them a chance now. If we have to take more action as a group then we’ll do that,’ he said.
‘If things keep breaking down like they are and we don’t get resolutions, (boycotting games) is obviously the absolute extreme.
‘It’s something the players don’t want to get to. We all want to play football.
‘I’m sure it will all be sorted out before then.’
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