Stalement leads to fears of strike
THE Rugby League Players’ Association is pushing back on the NRL’s quest to be able to seize players’ phone and bank records in a move that could make it more difficult to investigate salary cap allegations such as those currently involving Manly.
The NRL and the union are at a stalemate in the collective bargaining agreement negotiations despite the RLPA slashing $90 million from its original offer.
The association has excluded a number of revenue streams – including digital spend, leagues club funding, interest and contra – in a bid to get a deal done.
However, a revenue-sharing arrangement remains the major sticking point and the parties are no closer to getting a deal done, raising fears of industrial action.
It’s understood the police taskforce formed to investigate allegations of match fixing in the NRL, Strike Force Nuralda, has not found evidence that games have been thrown. However, authorities believe there are widespread instances of insider trading of information for punting purposes and potential salary cap breaches at the Sea Eagles and other clubs.
As revealed by Fairfax Media, the NRL had brokered a groundbreaking memorandum of understanding with NSW Police just weeks before the latest Manly allegations surfaced.
However, the NRL’s ability to investigate such matters would be hindered if it can’t compel players it reasonably suspect of breaches to hand over their phones, bank records and computers.
The players are wary of the integrity unit having police-like authority and the union wants the focus to be on the prevention rather than the policing of off-field incidents.
There’s also a feeling that Rugby League Central should properly test its existing powers, including those available to it under the existing code of conduct, before being granted additional ones. While the NRL would only seek to seize phones or bank records in circumstances where there is already strong case against a player, it’s unlikely the RLPA will agree unless some of its own requests – such as the establishment of an independent panel to adjudicate on off-field dramas – are granted.
The issue is one of many the NRL and the RLPA are at loggerheads over during increasingly strained negotiations. The union wants a guaranteed 29 per cent share of revenue and claims that, based on its calculations, the NRL’s current proposal will equate to a 26.6 per cent share. Historically, the figure is said to be about 27 per cent.
‘‘Our analysis of the NRL’s current offer has the players going backwards on a like for like comparison based on the share of revenue they’ve received historically and what they’d receive if we accepted the current offer the NRL have on the table,’’ RLPA CEO Ian Prendergast said.
While the RLPA is said to have conceded $90 million since its initial proposal, Prendergast said the NRL had barely given any ground. ‘‘From the players’ perspective they feel they have made significant concessions and that it’s now time for the NRL to shift,’’ Prendergast said.
‘‘Whilst it’s relatively early in the negotiation process, the NRL’s initial proposal hasn’t changed with respect to what they are offering players outside of some slight amendments to their salary cap proposal.’’
The NRL confirmed it was launching its own investigations into Manly. The integrity unit is expected to descend on the club’s Narrabeen headquarters as soon as this week to access documents and computers as part of a probe that is likely to take months. The Sun-Herald GETTY IMAGES
‘ From the players’ perspective they feel they have made significant concessions and that it’s now time for the NRL to shift.’ RLPA BOSS IAN PRENDERGAST