Canberra Raiders Ricky Stuart says player media boycott hurts the NRL

The failure of the NRL and RLPA to finally agree on all terms for the new - and eight months overdue - collective bargaining agreement prompted the union to announce on Wednesday a league-wide, male and female player boycott for all game-day media from July 6 until further notice.

The boycott is set to impact round 19's NRL games, and the men's and women's State of Origin fixtures next week, unless an agreement can be reached soon.

Stuart was disappointed in the decision from the RLPA, and believes that players don't all understand the reasons for the boycott.

"It does [hurt the game]," Stuart said during his press conference before the Raiders headed to Wollongong to face the Dragons on Friday night.

"It's not [the media's] fault that there can't be an agreement.

"I feel sorry for the players because I believe that if you spoke to 95 percent of the players, they wouldn't even know why they're not allowed to talk to the media.

"I think they're being used and it's wrong.

"Because there's young boys there that have no idea why it's there, and I just think they've been used in this regard.

"So yes, I think it is wrong, but the administration will get to the core of it and hopefully fix it."

The standoff with rugby league bosses is the first major stoush of its kind since 2003, when the Dally M Medal was not awarded over threats of a boycott due to a pay dispute.

Stuart was hopeful the NRL and RLPA would come to a resolution soon, backing chief executive Andrew Abdo and his team.

"I think we've got very strong leadership," Stuart said. "They know what's right for the game. They should be running the game, not the players."

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The RLPA says the media boycott will remain in place until the completion of a draft CBA, until the warring NRL and PA meet with an industrial relations mediator and until player benefits and support payments return to pre-COVID levels agreed under the previous CBA.

More than 50 players from the 17 clubs met on Tuesday night before RLPA chief executive Clint Newton announced the boycott and threatened more action if their demands were not met.

"Our leadership group met and they discussed that this could go on," he said.

"The players have shown tremendous patience and good will through this process but their trust and resolve have been tested time and time again. I want to be clear that we have been forced into this position.

"Players are reasonable but ultimately we have to put everything on the table.

"We are hopeful and we remain optimistic about reaching an agreement."

Fronting the media in response, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo maintained the league had acted in good faith during negotiations.

"It's disappointing whenever we talk about restricting the access the fans have to hear from their heroes," he said.

"We have spent thousands of collective hours listening and problem-solving."

- with AAP

Friday: St George Illawarra Dragons v Canberra Raiders at Wollongong, 8pm.

Canberra Raiders: 1. Sebastian Kris, 2. Albert Hopoate, 3. Jarrod Croker (C), 4. Matt Timoko, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Emre Guler, 9. Zac Woolford, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (C), 13. Ata Mariota. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Trey Mooney, 16. Nick Cotric, 17. Peter Hola. Reserves: 18. Matt Frawley, 19. Danny Levi, 20. Hohepa Puru, 21. Xavier Savage, 22. Clay Webb.

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