Landmark NRLW deal to see longer seasons and higher pay

The National Rugby League and the Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) have reached an in-principal agreement on a new pay deal for women in the NRLW.

The five-year, collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the Australian domestic women’s competition will the NRLW salary cap almost triple this season while the minimum wage for players will rise from $30,000 this year to $50,000 in 2027.

Committing $118 million to the women’s game over the next five years, the NRL will also back a further expansion of the league from 2025.

The NRL and RLPA confirmed on Tuesday they had reached an in-principle agreement on financial terms for a women's collective bargaining agreement, with this year's expanded 10-team NRLW competition to begin in July.

Under the terms of the agreement, the 2023 and 2024 NRLW seasons will include a nine-round regular season before two weeks of finals.

Players will also be given two weeks of annual leave as part of their contract, along with seven weeks of pre-season training, to make for a 20-week commitment while a pregnancy policy will also be enacted, which will allow players to step away from the game for 12 months while still keeping their contracts.

State of Origin will stay at two matches for at least the next two seasons before potentially going to three, with representative matches falling outside the club window.

Teams will be granted a salary cap of $900,000 for this season at an average of $37,500 per player, with the cap to go to more than $1.5 million in 2027 at an average salary of $62,500.

Welcoming the deal, RLPA Chief Executive, Clint Newton stated “agreeing to these financial terms will now give NRLW players financial certainty and security ahead of signing contracts for the 2023 NRLW season and beyond.”

Attention will now turn towards the men’s CBA, with negotiations still in progress.

The women's league will continue to be played alongside the end of the men's NRL season, with a double-header grand final.

Image: NRLW team captains at the 2022 season launch. Credit: NRL.