The NRL have responded to reports that they knocked back the Rugby League Players Association's request for a pregnancy policy, labelling the statements made as "misleading."

Under the request by the RLPA - which is just one of a number of sticking points which are still preventing the deal from falling over the line - players in the women's game would have been protected by a proposed pregnancy policy.

The policy would ensure players were paid during pregnancy and post birth, while also supporting player parents with a child up to three years of age.

The report comes from Channel 7s Katie Brown, who also suggested the NRL have denied private health insurance for the game's 300 women's players, while also refusing 12-month contracts, meaning the game would stay on a more part-time basis.

The NRL have on Tuesday moved to clarify their current stance on the pregnancy policy for the NRLW, and paternity support for both men and women.

The NRL state that they have been working with the RLPA and NRLW clubs since October 2022 on a new NRLW pregnancy and parternity leave policy that will include the following:

  • Providing parents with both paid and unpaid support in caring for their children up to the age of 24 months;
  • NRL financial support of paid player parental cover per season;
  • NRL financial support for replacement players for pregnancy replacement;
  • Pregnant players will have contract security
  • Players will be able to move to a safe job

They also dispute the fact the private health policy statement, saying they provided a 10.5 increase to the women's salary cap to accommodate the reqest.

The women's game has been hit particularly by the delay in the CBA negotiations, which were supposed to be concluded by the end of last October, ahead of the expiration of the last agreement on October 31.

This is the first time the women's game will be included in a CBA, however, they have since been forced to train without insurance, while the competition's four new clubs - the Canberra Raiders, North Queensland Cowboys, Cronulla Sharks and Wests Tigers - have all been delayed in being able to sign any players.

It means that with the season slated for a likely June or July start, that all ten clubs are currently in a state of uncertainty.

The competition's expansion from six to ten teams was met by the NRL proposing an enormous increase in the salary cap, however, the RLPA have knocked back the record increases for both the women's and men's game, with sticking points in the CBA meaning the two parties are still unable to agree on the future of the game.

The men's competition is seemingly at very real risk of a player strike, with trials less than two weeks away and teams already abandoning season promotional media commitments.