NRL make comment after salary cap announcement dispute

The drama between the NRL and Rugby League Players Association continues into the New Year as the RLPA shared an embittered email to its members.

The email was critical of the NRL's salary cap announcement from late December, stating there had been little communication on how clubs were going to implement changes.

The NRL announced a 25 per cent increase in the salary cap at the end of last year - moving from $9.6 million to $12.1 million.

Club's development list caps had also been significantly increased from $240,000 to $650,000.

Despite the increase in figures, the RLPA was furious that the new salary cap was made public before negotiations for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement had been finalised. 

“For a governing body to set its own salary cap disrespects the entire player representation movement and the importance of collective bargaining," RLPA chair Deidre Anderson said in a release at the time.

According to an NRL spokesperson via The Daily Telegraph, the NRL is committed to resolving the confusion surrounding the salary cap implementation.

“The NRL have indicated they will continue to work with the clubs to implement the changes,” said the spokesperson.

There was pressure on the NRL to finalise the salary cap figures so that clubs could finalise their top 30 rosters before the 2023 season.

Negotiations around the CBA are expected to be finalised by mid-January according to Australian Rugby League Commission chairman, Peter V'Landys - however, it will be interesting to see how the RLPA's reaction to the salary cap announcement will affect future proceedings.