NRL players are set for a significant payday, with the NRL set to back-pay 78 per cent of their sacrificed salaries from the past three seasons.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the sum contains a large amount of the salaries that players sacrificed to keep the game afloat during the uncertainty of Covid.
Players gave up 20 per cent of their salaries to keep the competition afloat in 2020, and have also forfeited six per cent of their pay over the past two seasons. Now some of the game’s biggest stars could receive a sum in excess of $350,000, with Origin players also set to receive $5,000 for every game played since the 2020 series.
RLPA general president and Queensland Origin captain Daly Cherry-Evans confirmed that the majority of outstanding funds from the past few years would land in players’ bank accounts over the coming weeks.
Cherry-Evans sacrificed nearly $400,000 in payments over the past three years, but is likely to recoup at least $300,000, plus another $45,000 for featuring in every Origin game over that period.
“At the time everyone was doing the best thing for the game,” Cherry-Evans said.
“We didn’t think we’d get any money back, so to get back any of this, let alone the majority of the money, is really pleasing.
“It’s a nice contribution to give back to people and say thank you for the last few years.”
While it’s great news for the majority of players, Cherry-Evans also expressed frustration that some off-contract players had been left in a lurch and were struggling for job security as the NRL and RLPA negotiate future salary cap conditions.
“I’d hate to be in that position, to be off-contract (with) the uncertainty around the salary cap and roster numbers – we’re talking about blokes’ livelihoods here.
“These are working conditions that remain unclear for people who could potentially be starting a new job in two months’ time. We owe it to those people in limbo to get this sorted.
