NRL hands players 37pc pay increase, resolving two-year dispute
The NRL and its players have ended a messy two-year dispute after striking an in-principle deal that gives the latter a 37 per cent increase in pay.
The Rugby League Players Association cancelled plans to escalate industrial action over the weekend after crisis talks between Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys, chief executive Andrew Abdo and RLPA chair Diedre Anderson and chief executive Clint Newton.
The war is over between NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo and RLPA boss Clint Newton. Getty
Mr V’landys told The Australian Financial Review he was proud of the new deal. “Both parties came together, and it was done in good spirit. We’ve formed a partnership to grow the game,” he said.
“I’m very proud to say the players have got the best pay and work conditions in the history of the game. I’d hate to be in a position where we are discussing what the reduction was,” he added.
Under the new deal, agreed on Thursday night,players will receive $1.3 billion in total player payments, a 37 per cent increase on the existing deal.
The NRL has also promised to provide $115 million to the player benefits pool for areas such as superannuation and industry hardship. The RLPA will also receive more funding to run its operations.
The agreement puts an end to a tumultuous period between the NRL and RLPA, which have been arguing about a new deal since last year. The previous agreement, which was for five years, has continued to roll over since then but was expected to expire in October.
The dispute turned ugly late last year when players started publicly disparaging the governing body and accusing senior officials of disrespecting them. The war quickly became one of the country’s biggest and ugliest industrial
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