AUSTRALIAN captain Cameron Smith has not ruled out strike action after being angered by the NRL’s response to the player union’s pay demands.
Smith was less than impressed by leaked NRL emails to clubs that claimed the Rugby League Players Association’s collective bargaining agreement proposal was unaffordable and showed “an apparent disregard for the game”.
Asked if strike action was now possible, RLPA general president Smith said: “We have some ideas in mind but hopefully it doesn’t come to that”. Smith was fuming over the “inflammatory language” in the NRL emails which claimed the RLPA’s pay demands would destroy the game.
The NRL reportedly told clubs the players’ submission would threaten to eat into club grants that are believed to be 130 per cent of a salary cap that could reach as high as $ 10 million.
“I believe there was a document released from the NRL to the clubs with some fairly inflammatory words in those documents which are completely untrue,” Smith said.
“That’s the most disappointing part. We have entered this discussion wanting to grow the game but for certain people in the NRL to go back to the clubs and put an idea in their mind that the players are going to bring the game to its knees is really hard to believe to be honest.”
Smith says the players will refuse to back down from fighting for a bigger slice of the pie than what they’re being offered.
“We’re not given the share of revenue the players deserve,” he said. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable (what players are asking). There’s been a substantial increase in money come into the game and that’s mostly due to the guys that are producing on the field.
“The product that the broadcasters pay for is what the players produce.
Smith won’t back down.Source:Getty Images
“The playing group and the RLPA, we’re not going to disappear. We’re not going to run away with our tail between our legs this time.
“We’re a patient group and we believe that we have put forward a balanced proposal to the NRL, which both parties can benefit from. And that’s not only the NRL and the clubs and fans and members.
“We want to grow the game and we believe our proposal can do that.
“We want to work in partnership with them, not against them. We don’t think it’s a cash grab for the players at all.
“The framework we’ve presented the NRL means that if the game grows, the players and clubs benefit from that. If it doesn’t grow and it goes backwards, so does our share of the pie.
“The NRL has spoken to clubs and given an idea to the public that that’s not the case.”
Smith also questioned the game’s handling of the finances.
“There’s been a forecast of between $ 400 and $ 700 million that the game is going to bring in every year for the next five years,” Smith said. “You give the clubs 130 per cent funding, the game is left with $ 192 million to run the game — that is working on $ 400 million coming in.
“Surely that is enough. If you can’t run a game with $ 192 million that’s a fair concern.
“Is it the wrong administration in or are they spending money badly?”
Smith hoped to attend the RLPA’s next round of talks with the governing body on June 5.
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