Test star Usman Khawaja has referred to as for the NRL to indicate “clarity and openness” with soccer gamers threatening to strike over a pay struggle jeopardising the beginning of the brand new season.
Khawaja is an Australian Cricketers Association board member who has beforehand butted heads with Cricket Australia throughout collective bargaining settlement discussions.
Rugby league gamers are threatening strike motion if the NRL fails to barter with them in finalising a brand new CBA.
Khawaja mentioned the matter on Wednesday with Brisbane Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds, with the recommendation being for the footballers to face their floor,
“Looking at reports and what the players are saying, they’re not really asking for too much,” Khawaja mentioned.
“They’re not asking for more, they’re just asking for what they think is fair, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
“We stood by a revenue share model, and Cricket Australia were trying to change it. We didn’t ask for any more, we didn’t ask for anything different, we just asked for the revenue share model at the time and I think that ended up working best for everyone.
“We’re all partners in the game. That’s what worked really well for cricket, and as a player, always stand by your players and your mates.
“As much as we love this game. there’s no game without the players.”
Khawaja mentioned whatever the sport, gamers simply needed transparency from their respective sport’s governing our bodies.
“With all associations … you just want clarity and openness,” he mentioned.
“If you ask to see the books, you just want them to be open and honest, and just show you that books to know what’s going on so you can actually be make a fair assessment.
“Sometimes that gets lost. With cricket it has in the past. I know for a fact just talking to a few of the players in the NRL, sometimes that sort of clarity gets lost. You don’t get to see everything that’s going on.
“Once you can get that and everyone can come to a reasonable decision … that’s a big part of it.
“I’m sure this will work out, it has to, The footy season’s coming in March and if it doesn’t (work out), then we don’t have footy.”
Khawaja’s Brisbane Heat facet is aiming for a 3rd successive BBL win on Friday night time on the Gabba in opposition to the Hobart Hurricanes.
“We’ve won two games in a row, if we went three, four, I think we give ourselves a pretty good chance of making the (finals). If we can get five (on the trot), I think we’ve definitely made it,” he mentioned.