Khawaja backs NRL players in pay talks

Joel Gould | January 19, 2023

Usman Khawaja has thrown his support behind NRL players in their dispute with head office, with cricket’s pay talks also looming.

Khawaja was at the Gabba while the Brisbane Broncos were getting some in-house promotional material put together where he was deep in conversation with skipper Adam Reynolds.

NRL clubs have this week boycotted all NRL-run marketing material, refusing to partake in squad photos or speak with the league’s digital or social media staff.

Khawaja, an Australian Cricketers Association board member, has been following the ongoing dispute between the NRL and the players and RLPA.

“From my point of view being a board member of the ACA I do support players,” Khawaja said.

“Just looking at reports and what the players are saying they are not asking for too much. 

“They are not asking for more. They are just asking for what they think is fair and I think there is nothing wrong with that.”

The ongoing pay dispute between the NRL and its players is the ugliest this century, with strike action threatened and a deal now two-and-a-half months overdue.

Cricket had its own issues during the last pay talks in 2017, with 230 players effectively left unemployed as negotiations dragged on and an Australia A tour of South Africa cancelled.

Things appear to be somewhat smoother during this year’s negotiations, with former NRL CEO Todd Greenberg now the head of the Australian Cricketers’ Association.

“We stood by a revenue-share model when Cricket Australia were trying to change it. We didn’t ask for any more,” Khawaja said. 

“We didn’t ask for anything different. We just asked for the revenue share model at the time.

“I think that ended up best for everyone because when COVID hit we went with the revenue share model with Cricket Australia. Everyone was fine.”

Khawaja said he believed from talking to NRL players the issues were more than about money.

“The thing with all associations, even with Cricket Australia and I am sure with the NRL, as players you just want clarity and openness,” he said.

“I think sometimes that gets lost. In cricket it has in the past.

“Talking to some of the NRL players sometimes that sort of clarity gets lost and you don’t get to see everything that is going on. 

“If you get that then everyone can come to a reasonable decision and make a fair and equitable choice.”