The NRL and Rugby League Players Association are still no closer to locking down the collective bargaining agreement, with negotiations between the two parties continuing.
The collective bargaining agreement was originally supposed to be agreed upon in October, with the old agreement expiring on October 31.
Ever since then, the game has been working under an extension of the old agreement, but with every passing week, frustrations and tensions continue to mount.
The NRL announced a salary cap increase in December, however, the RLPA hit back almost immediately saying they had agreed to no such financials, with both parties quiet on the matter ever since.
The chance of an NRL lockout has been floated, although the RLPA have stated industrial action against the NRL will only be taken as a last resort.
RLPA board member Christian Welch told SEN Radio that the process has been frustrating, with the two parties no closer to an agreement.
"It's been a really frustrating process, which started 14 months ago when we got the ball rolling on requesting financial information from the NRL," he told SEN radio on Thursday.
"There's been a real lack of trust between the two parties, which has been really disappointing, and we're really not close to an agreement at all.
"We've really been waiting to get to the table and build that relationship, but I don't think they take the RLPA seriously.
"We just need the NRL to bring us on that journey ... I just feel like there's not a whole lot of respect for the RLPA, but hopefully we can build that relationship back up."
Welch went on to say the agreement isn't only about money.
"I think with this CBA what gets lost is the non-financial things that we're really working hard for - agreement rights, having trust in the RLPA being able to use the players' money how it wants without having to go to the NRL," he said.
"The financials are one thing and a big part of negotiations, but the rest of it, the terms of employment, has been a real struggle.
"We're not asking for anything too unreasonable. We just want to get on with our jobs and play footy."
The NRL season is set to kick-off in early March, with trials to be played during mid-February.
