The Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) may be set to ask players to cover up the NRL logo on their jerseys in the next escalation of their ongoing dispute over the CBA.
Though nothing has been confirmed as of Wednesday evening, the action may kick in as soon as this weekend’s games, which begins with the Broncos taking on the Roosters on Thursday. Players from both teams have been informed of potential action.
‘We are escalating our action as a playing group because the NRL have shown a complete lack of respect by not agreeing to what is a very reasonable path forward in negotiations,” said Chad Townsend to the Daily Telegraph.
“The NRL and NRLW players need our CBAs agreed as soon as possible, but we wont be dictated to by the Commission or NRL.”
Any action would take place across both the NRL and the NRLW, which has its second round this weekend.
“It’s Women in League Round, but NRLW players still don’t have a CBA,” said delegate Nita Maynard. “What does that say about the respect the NRL has for women playing rugby league?
“That’s why all players will be covering the badge. We want protection and respect.”
Kevvie hits back at Gus’ Broncos sledge
Kevin Walters has backed his Brisbane side to prove wrong Phil Gould’s assertion the Broncos don’t have the defensive clout to win this year’s NRL.
Speaking on Channel Nine’s 100% Footy, Canterbury supremo and commentator Gould said: “I don’t think the Broncos can win the comp this year.
“I just don’t see enough in their defence to win it.
“The Panthers have got a far better defence than (the Broncos) have, but (Brisbane) have certainly got the athleticism and the strike power.
“They’re a good side. Their performances show that but they’re not going to beat Penrith at finals time.”
Walters was told of Gould’s remarks at his Wednesday press conference ahead of the Broncos’ clash with the Sydney Roosters at the Gabba on Thursday night.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“We are worried about ourselves, and Phil should be doing the same,” Walters said. “We know we have some work to do defensively. We are aware of that and we are working hard on that.
“But we have come a long way with our defence compared to last year. There is a bit to go and that will be showcased against the Roosters.”
The Panthers, on top of the NRL ladder, have set the benchmark in defence this season and have conceded just 236 points in 18 games, an average of 13.1 per match. Having played 19 games, the Broncos have conceded 341 points at an average of 17.9. It is a vast improvement on recent seasons at the Broncos.
In the last six games of 2022 the Broncos leaked an average of 35 points per match to fall out of the top eight. It has been an area of focus for Walters and he said the best was yet to come from the second-placed Broncos.
“We haven’t played our best football yet. That’s in front of us,” he said. “We will start to see that again tomorrow against a good opposition.
“It’s great to be alive playing at the Broncos. We need to keep improving, particularly our defensive mindset.”
Walters confirmed second-rower Brendan Piakura has not recovered from the illness that kept him out of last week’s win over South Sydney. Lock Pat Carrigan will again play in the second-row and tyro prop Xavier Willison will come off the bench.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson was optimistic about lock Victor Radley playing the game after he missed last week’s win over Gold Coast with a hamstring injury.
“He trained well yesterday so today is the real test for him to cross that line to play,” Robinson said on Wednesday morning.
“He is an important in for us if he gets across the line. If not it will be the same team as last week.”
Walker sprinting down comeback trail
Sam Walker has “one final set of tests” to get through on his injured knee before being cleared to return to action, Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson says.
The halfback’s imminent return is good news for the Roosters as they aim to win their remaining six NRL games and clinch a finals place.
Walker suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain, or partial tear, while playing for North Sydney Bears against the New Zealand Warriors in the NSW Cup on April 30.
It is an uncommon injury and, while not a complete rupture, the knee was weakened and made susceptible to a more serious injury. The 21-year-old Walker saw a specialist in Townsville on Monday and the results were positive.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Ahead of the Roosters clash with Brisbane at the Gabba on Thursday night, Robinson was asked to give an update on Walker and his trip to Townsville.
“The facts are that he didn’t go up (to Townsville) to sign a contract with someone else, which was funnily reported behind the scenes on Monday,” Robinson said.
“He went up there to see a specialist in Townsville on his knee. He is getting pretty close.
“He has gone back to Sydney to train the rest of this week. There is one final set of tests on Monday and then we’re looking forward to getting him back into some footy.
“With the stop-start nature of these tests you don’t get a continued progression on your training or knee progression, so it has been a bit rocky the last couple of weeks.
“So to get some progression there would be good over the next couple of weeks, and back into playing.”
Robinson said it was a relief the initial diagnosis on Walker’s knee didn’t reveal a full rupture of the ACL.
The last hurdle for Walker to overcome in his rehabilitation is the progression of his running and change of direction.
“That’s been the last little bit we needed to get (right) and that has taken a few weeks,” Robinson said.
“He is an agile guy, a speed guy and a 360-degree guy, so we want to make sure that is in the right place,” Robinson said.
Walker was dropped from first grade after the round-seven clash with Cronulla but the intention was always for him to work on his game and return to the side.
“It is a big one for us to have him available, that hasn’t been the case for three months,” Robinson said.
“That has given the opportunity for (halfback) Sandon (Smith) to come in and he has progressed and performed well.”
Rabbitohs prop up roster, Warriors lock in Pompey
South Sydney have rewarded Tevita Tatola for his fine form by handing the Tonga international a contract extension until the end of 2028.
Tatola’s new deal adds to players including Latrell Mitchell, Campbell Graham and new recruit Jack Wighton agreeing to long-term deals with Souths in recent months.
The 26-year-old, known as Junior, has become a cornerstone of the Rabbitohs’ pack under head coach Jason Demetriou and has been floated as a potential option for the NSW State of Origin side in recent years.
“Junior has worked so hard over the past six seasons to establish himself as one of the premier prop forwards in the NRL,” Souths football manager Mark Ellison said.
“We’ve seen him grow from a raw rookie back in 2018 to a respected player who is in calculations for State of Origin and international selection each season.
“We are all very happy to have re-signed Junior for four further seasons and we look forward to watching him lead our forward pack in the years to come.”
The Warriors have given utility back Adam Pompey a new two-year deal.
Pompey is the only Warriors player to have featured in every game this season as the Kiwi club have rocketed into premiership contention.
David Roderick
Roar Rookie
I've been trying to think what the logo looks like.
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
Can't stand it when people copy and paste individual sentences and then critique like they are a teacher marking an essay. Some of the stuff in your replies isn't in the right context at all but can't be bothered going over it. The dispute about the NRL and RLPA has become such a black and white issue anyway that there isn't much point discussing the grey. I think we disagree on a few things. I think the commission has been the best thing for rugby league in decades, but it's all opinions. A CBA isn't really what you said (its an agreement from both sides) but I've seen recently that how you perceive it is what a lot of people seem to think it's become. So maybe it is now and I'm out of date.
Richard POWELL
Roar Rookie
If we're serious about bringing this 2 year mad dispute, that no-one understands, to an end, get rid of Albo and Newton and bring in Belinda Sharpe and Yvonne Sampson. All parties pledge to abide by their decision. Dispute over in 10 minutes.
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
Caving into Maggie Thatcher??? Don’t tell me you’ve either seen some crap documentary or you support an English football team from a different city that hates LFC. Of all the things people from Liverpool have been called, this is the weirdest take ever. If you don’t get the criticism of Clint Newton that he is a touch grandiose in the film biopic reference then that’s your problem. Did the moon cave into Maggie as well?? I know all about the union movement. I was a rep for 4 years at my workplace before i had kids and ran out of time to do it properly. It’s actually a lot of practicalities and keeping your workplace honest. Mostly when the employer casually tries to cut rights or in staff discipline matters. Some of the reps were incredible, but it isnt a personality thing and the best ones keep a low profile. It’s not a game of “up the workers” like a lot of students and wealthy left wing people imagine. Some union leaders are better than others like every other industry. CBA stands for Collective Bargaining Agreement. Its where both sides meet in the middle and both sides are satisfied they got something but not everything they wanted. Anyone half experienced in union matters can see its become too personal. PVL is already thinking about having to do the next CBA in a few years time so he’s overplaying his hand to change the opposition. The NRL know the players can’t strike without a probable renegotiated (lower) TV deal. It’s all about the egos now and Newton and V’Landys are comfortable within that area.
Emcie
Roar Guru
The NRL will notice when their stationary budget explodes as 300ish players start using up all the tape
Emcie
Roar Guru
Chad isn't talking about protesting to get what they want in the CBA, he's talking about protesting the NRL refusing to allow an independent mediator so negotiations can continue after the NRL's last take it or leave it offer
Dutski
Roar Guru
Oh no! Not the logo! I am worried I will miss it as much as I miss the player interviews.
Nick
Roar Rookie
Bring back Boots n' all!
Nick
Roar Rookie
I am missing them. Watching the Channel 9 sideline pundits interviewing each other at half time (i.e Danika Mason interviewing Paul Gallen at Origin 3) is FAR worse.
Nick
Roar Rookie
That's not what a CBA stands for. Perhaps in Liverpool where your mob caved into Maggie Thatcher, but out here it means fighting for what the collective of the workers want, not a collective of management. That Erin Brockovich reference is from the moon! Completely unrelated to this.
mushi
Roar Guru
I disagree with a lot of this, meeting in the middle is not what a CBA stands for. Meeting in the middle negotiation just encourages ridiculous starting points to move the middle. A CBA is about aggregating the supplier power of employees together and getting outcome that reflects that power rather than employer vs individual. "The less celebrity figures the better" professional sports people are celebrities. It's literally impossible to have a representative body without celebrities. "This is straight forward for working class people " It's a body of professional athletes - it's not working class. "You agree and then you push a little more each time at the next negotiation stage." Well that maybe works if your career spans 5-15 agreements, but when the average career is 1 agreement I'd say thats the most irrational strategy ever employed. "You never get everything in one go." This assumes they haven't conceded anything. You also don't give up on your must haves because they rolled on 10 nice to haves. That tally based negotiation will result in a definitive loser. The NRL is creeping towards a US model under PVL, money is hoarded at the NRL club level with spending on player health and the broader game is cutback. Many clubs spend so little in junior development it is immaterial to their financials. As a result it's natural to assume a more US sports style of negotiation from players who are becoming more powerful due to media coverage. I don't like where we're at but frankly it's the only logical response to what we've seen post the establishment of the "independent" commission.
Rellum
Roar Guru
The press are just upset they can't just do the same cookie cutter reporting over and over again. No one I have seen actually wants to hear from the players during or after a game. It is just endless clichés. Personally I stopped watching the Sunday Footy show because it turned into two hours of player interviews and it was mind numbingly boring.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Walters and Gould have both been in charge at the Broncs and Bulldogs since 2021 Results since 2021 Broncos 14th Bulldogs 16th 2022 Broncos 9th Bulldogs 12th 2023 Broncos 2nd Bulldogs 16th And on recruitment and retention, The Dolphins team of Reader, Bennett & O'Sullivan have wiped the floor with the Dogs crew of Gould, Ciraldo & Sharp. Surely the day is fast approaching when the Bulldogs board have tell Gould to shut his media piehole and focus on the Bulldogs, or vacate the position
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Walters has been in charge at the Broncs since 2021, same as Gould at the Bulldogs. Season Results 2021 Broncos 14th, Bulldogs 16th 2022 Broncos 9th, Bulldogs 12th 2023 as at round 21 Broncos 2nd, Bulldogs 16th Perhaps Gould's nickname should be changed from "Guss" to "Teflon" as the shite never sticks
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
:silly: :laughing:
Have faith
Roar Rookie
Agree. The players must miss some "sideline commentator" whose knowledge of the game is somewhat dubious asking " how can you turn it around in the second half"? Player" hang onto the ball & eliminate our errors". Riveting stuff.
andrew
Roar Rookie
Agree DPS. I for one don't miss those stupid half time interviews coming off the field and I'm not missing before or after match interviews as well.
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
Yeah, but will the fans be able to enjoy the matches without seeing the players wearing the NRL logo?? Take that Abdo and V'Landys!!
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
One thing many of the media and the NRL mouth people have totally wrong, including Billy - which I hope is the media bosses instructing him because it's off track - is that the fans and public are missing out by not hearing from the players. WRONG. We are (or from what I gather most of us) are quite at peace not having to listen to a ridiculous half time interference about some panting player being hassled about the game and providing a glib answer or some word weary player giving a full time presser or Jack Bird or Cheese insulting us. Not missing it guys, play a different card.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
The RLPA need to hire a few professional bizzos in to do their deal. Rugby league players bleating on about ‘ we’re being reasonable’ and ‘ respect’. What, are they 12 years old? As Dirty Harry said, A man’s gotta know his limitations.