Australian rugby league’s "bitter pay war is finally over," as the National Rugby League and Rugby League Players Association have "agreed in principle on the code’s historic first long-form" CBA. The agreement ends "almost two years of bad blood and political bickering between the warring parties." NRL stars were "poised to ramp-up a public fight for their rights" but the series of player protests "are officially over" after NRL and RLPA executives "shook hands on Thursday night on a landmark five-year deal." The crisis talks were finalized following "a meeting of minds involving" Australian Rugby League Commission Chair Peter V’landys, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, RLPA Chair Deidre Anderson and RLPA CEO Clint Newton (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/10).
After "refusing to speak to each other for months," the two sides "resolved the final outstanding issues," giving the RLPA the chance to take the offer back to its members for approval. With the finals only weeks away, the players "will return to full media duties" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 8/10).
