World Cup boycott risk
Maroons skipper takes NRL hierarchy to task over player salaries
league is embroiled in its own pay dispute, with Smith suggesting the NRL is blowing hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Rugby League Players Association has proposed a $10 million salary cap for next season, almost $1 million more than the $9.14 million proposed by the NRL.
With both parties battling to find common ground, CBA talks are turning toxic.
Smith used his annual preOrigin media conference to blast suggestions players are attempting a “cash grab”, claiming NRL stars are not being given a fair share of the code’s revenue. CAMERON SMITH
The Maroons captain unloaded on the NRL’s administration led by Greenberg and ARL Commission boss Grant.
“If you can’t run a game with $192 million, that’s fairly concerning,” Smith said.
“Is there the wrong administration in place or are they spending money badly?
“At this stage 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.
“You give the clubs the 130 per cent funding, which is a $10 million salary cap plus $3 million extra funding to help out the clubs ($208 million in total) ... the (NRL) is left with $192 million to run the game.
“That’s working off $400 million coming in. Surely that’s enough.”
There are fears CBA talks could turn so toxic that a player strike is a possible outcome and Smith yesterday put NRL bosses on notice, saying: “We’ve got some ideas in place.”
Pressed on those plans, Smith would not elaborate but the code’s elite have privately discussed refusing to play at the World Cup, which begins on October 26.
The notion of rugby league’s biggest stars, such as Smith and Maroons halfback Cooper Cronk, not playing for Australia would be a crushing blow for a code trying to give the sport global credibility.
The plan has not been formalised with the Rugby League Players Association but the mere discussion of a World Cup boycott underlines the frustration brewing among the playing group.
Greenberg is confident a player strike will be averted but Smith warned the code’s bosses to brace for a showdown over player rights.
“We’re not going to disappear. We’re not going to run away with our tail between our legs this time,” he said. “We’re not given the share of revenue the players deserve.”
Smith slammed suggestions players are greedy, saying they want a fixed percentage of revenue. It means if NRL revenue decreases, so do player wages.