NRL’s agreement with the RLPA is set to be sealed after CEO Todd Greeberg agreed to take the same pay deal as the players.
The RLPA was presented on Wednesday with a revised proposal regarding player salary cuts due to the postponed 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Following the earlier announcement in the week that the NRL executive would be taking a 25 per cent pay cut, Greenberg has since “elected to take the same pay deal as the players” in a show of solidarity.
“I want to acknowledge the players for their co-operative and collaborative approach to these discussions,” Greenberg said via an NRL statement.
“As I have said from the beginning, we are in this together and so in the spirit of our partnership, I have offered to take the same salary deal as the players.
“To me, it is the best and most sincere way of reflecting my appreciation of the way these discussions have been handled.”
Also included in the new proposal to the RLPA is an amendment to the players’ Retirement Fund.
RLPA boss Clint Newton will now take the NRL’s proposal back to players on Thursday with the hope of reaching a pay agreement by the end of the week.
From there further details around contract dates and the structure of the 2021 salary cap will continue to be worked through.
Greenberg’s decision to match the pay cut taken by players matches the same call made by AFL counterpart Gillon McLachlan last week.
The NRL’s new Innovations Committee has been tasked with restructuring the rest of the 2020 season should the game’s pandemic expert advise that it is once again safe for games to be played.
The committee will explore a raft of scenarios including a wildcard weekend, quarantining players and isolating the competition in one location, before reporting back to the ARLC by the end of April.
