Canberra product and former Queensland Bulls captain Jason Floros says the fact strike action has even been considered shows Australian cricket's pay dispute is far bigger than any international series.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Floros says the players want a deal that will benefit the game for the next "20 years" as the Australian Cricketers Association and Cricket Australia remain at loggerheads.
Australia's cricketers aren't looking back despite facing the prospect of being effectively unemployed this weekend with a new memorandum of understanding unlikely to be signed before the June 30 deadline.
Floros says "everyone has been prepared for a worst-case scenario" that puts August's Bangladesh tour, October's one-day series in India, and this summer's Ashes in jeopardy.
"We're all aligned with the ACA and we all believe in the pay structure that we're after, and we're willing to go the distance with whatever CA wants to do in the end," Floros said.
Floros is tied up with a Big Bash League deal for another year but is off-contract as a state player, and like many in his position has been advised not to sign individual deals issued by the governing body.
Queensland's pre-season training has begun and will continue as normal even if the seemingly inevitable lockout takes place.
CA will allow players to continue to use the sport's elite training and medical facilities once the current MOU expires.
"There's a lot of us in that boat. We're all going to stick together still though and we're hoping a deal gets done sooner rather than later," Floros said.
"But we're not going to just take what they give us as it gets harder. We're here for the long haul - we know what we want and we know what is going to be good for the game as well.
"Everyone has been told whether or not they're going to be offered a contract once this MOU gets signed off so there is that security that way.
"There is the stress of all that but we've known this was going to be coming for a little while now so people have had enough time to prepare.
"Everyone has been prepared for a worst-case scenario. Obviously everyone wants the deal done and everyone has got different point of views, and we're just hoping a deal gets done that benefits all parties."
Fellow Canberran and Ashes hopeful Jason Behrendorff has been named for the Australia A tour to South Africa beginning on July 12 and could be thrown into a precarious position if the game's biggest stars go on strike.
Should the situation get that dire, Behrendorff could be faced with the daunting prospect of either striking and foregoing a baggy green or breaking ranks with his fellow players for a Test cap.
CA-contracted players Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird and Travis Head have been offered the chance to play on the "A" tour on unpaid, all expenses covered deals, so as to not jeopardise their international careers.
But Floros expects Behrendorff and every other player in the country - male or female - to stand together in the fight for a share of the game's revenue.
"It is bizarre but I think every player understands that it's a bigger thing than one Australia A tour," Floros said.
"We want something that is going to benefit the players and the game - not just us, but the guys in 20 years time as well.
"We've had a little bit of discussion about [striking], but there's been lots of talk about training contracts and unpaid contracts. I guess we'll just get through to Saturday and see what happens from there."
