Boycott shadow over much-loved first nations games

The dispute between the Players Association and the NRL could affect next month’s All Stars games, with women’s teams concerned about insurance.

Players involved in next month’s All Stars games in Rotorua will see if any progress is made this week in talks between the NRL and Players Association before deciding if there will be any boycott.

The Rugby League Players Association has asked the NRL for a three-day lock-in this week to reach agreement over the bitter pay dispute, which threatens to ruin the start of the new season.

While the Warriors have been holding media sessions for the past couple of weeks, some Australian clubs have been cancelling them and the NRL has been told players won’t be taking part in any promotional activities.

The NRL’s willingness to talk to the association this week and the outcome of any negotiations could determine whether the All Stars games go ahead.

Leading players for the teams are expected to have informal talks this week and then communicate to the association about what they want to do.

This could include boycotting the All Stars games, although they are unique fixtures which mean more to the players than most other matches, due to the connections they have to their cultures through it.

Of most pressing concern is the lack of any collective bargaining agreement for the women’s players and what would happen if they were injured training or playing in the Ma¯ ori All Stars v Indigenous All Stars game, which takes place prior to the men’s fixture.

There are fears an injury could cost them a NRLW contract, because they don’t have that certainty without the agreement.

The NRL has spoken about game-wide insurance, which they have for every fixture. But the Sunday Star-Times understands what the players are concerned about is the lack of private health insurance.

The NRLW players were insured up until December 31. But those policies either sat with their clubs or the individual players, as they already had private health insurance.

But after December 31, the payments stopped going to the players who had private health insurance. Or if the player’s policy sat with the club, that insurance lapsed.

There is uncertainty among the players about what the NRL’s intentions are when it says they are covered. If a player doesn’t have a contract, that loss of income can’t be covered.

It could be that if a player gets injured, they might be covered for surgery.

Unlike in the NRL, almost all players in the NRLW were on oneyear contracts, so don’t have that security over their playing careers and this had led to a number of them deciding they didn’t want to play in the game.

Keith Hanley, the coach of the Ma¯ ori All Stars women’s team, confirmed that it had been a concern to players.

‘‘I’d certainly say there has been a bit of an impact, but at the end of the day, that’s a bit above my pay rate,’’ said Hanley, who is based in Australia and is also an assistant coach for the Wests Tigers’ NSW Cup team.

‘‘That’s something for the NRLPA and NRL to work through.’’

Kiwi Fern Raecene McGregor, who picked up the Golden Boot after last year’s World Cup, suffered a knee injury training for this game and is out for six to eight weeks, which highlights the risk players are taking.

There are only two Kiwi Ferns from last year’s World Cup in the Ma¯ ori All Stars team and just six who played in this fixture in 2022.

‘‘It’s never an easy thing,’’ Hanley said of team selection.

‘‘There is a real depth in the women’s game now and in the NRLW there’s a real quality amongst those playing the game.

‘‘But we do have to be mindful of players back home and there are a few within the squad that have made the final selection who had to make some really big sacrifices to be chosen.

‘‘I can’t really comment about why there aren’t more Kiwi Ferns, but the game has changed pretty dramatically and very quickly over the last few seasons.’’

Hanley said the All Stars games means a lot to the players involved.

‘‘It’s a huge honour to even be considered for either side,’’ he said.

‘‘We have love and respect for the indigenous team, as fellow first nations people.

‘‘It’s my third year of being involved in this space and I struggle to put into words how much it means to the players to be a part of this experience.’’

‘‘We have love and respect for the indigenous team, as fellow first nations people.’’

Keith Hanley, above