Talks between the Rugby League Players’ Association and the NRL have reached breaking point as players escalate their protests by boycotting all media duties on gamedays.
“From Thursday 6 July, our players will be boycotting all broadcast and media engagements on days when NRL, NRLW, or State of Origin matches are scheduled,” chair of the RLPA Board Dr. Deidre Anderson AM said.
“This includes pre-match, half-time, and post-match interviews, as well as press conferences and other media opportunities.”
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On those days, players will only participate in content produced for club-owned media channels.
After months of dialogue over the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a group of senior players agreed on Tuesday night it would take this drastic action.
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This includes next week’s State of Origin series finale.
Under the new action, if a player’s team is not scheduled to play that day, the boycott is still in effect and includes:
- External media opportunities organised by a player’s club
- Any direct communication from media via a player’s mobile phone or social media
Players will take part in media during the boycott if:
- It is a club-owned media commitment and specifically for the development of club-owned content
- Where a player has a current, pre-existing, individual arrangement in place with a media outlet
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From Monday to Wednesday each week – unless there is an Origin match, then it will be Monday to Tuesday – there will be no media boycott.
Broadcasters such as Nine Entertainment Co and Foxtel won’t be able to interview players before or after the Origin finale in Sydney on Wednesday night.
More to come.
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