Rugby League Players' Association president Cameron Smith has indicated Australian stars would be willing to take a World Cup pay cut if it meant a fairer distribution of funds to lower-tier nations.
The Kangaroos skipper and his teammates stand to earn up to $60,000 apiece should they win the World Cup for an 11th time, while those representing minnow countries are earning just the $30 per day being given to competitors by the Rugby League International Federation which is overseeing the tournament, plus any prizemoney earned during the finals.
That gulf in pay equity comes to a head in Brisbane on Friday night when the cashed up Kangaroos take on Fiji, following the Bati's upset win over New Zealand last weekend.
The RLIF will pay $300,000 in prizemoney to the World Cup winning team, and $150,000 to the runner up. Losing semi-finalists receive $125,000 apiece, while vanquished quarter finalists are given $35,000.
On top of that the Australian Rugby League Commission is kicking in $30,000 each to Kangaroos and New Zealand players for competing in the tournament, as part of the pay deal negotiated earlier this year. The lower-tier nations were not included in that agreement.
A $10,000 bonus is granted for making the final and a further $10,000 for winning the tournament. England has a similar arrangement in place.
"We're open to discussions on ways to try and find those funds, to bring those payments closer together," Smith said.
"That's the thing that the players get frustrated with - the perception in the public is that the NRL playing group is just in for the cash grab, but it's not.
"It's about looking after the entire rugby league community, particularly the players playing in the pacific nations that don't have the same working conditions as the Kangaroos or Kiwis at the moment. We want to make that happen relatively soon."
Fairer wealth distribution to lower-tier nations was a topic raised by the RLPA during protracted pay negotiations throughout the year.
RLPA chief Ian Prendergrast and his team asked NRL players to list their biggest concerns in the game before negotiations began, and payments to Pacific nations was one of the major issues to emerge.
"A lot of the messaging gets lost in the bottom line of a genuine partnership and sharing of revenue," Smith said.
"That was a key issue for us to get that across the line but there was a lot of other things that are really important to us and the payments to pacific nations or developing rugby league nations is really important to us.
"We're working on ways to try and make those payments closer for sure because these guys are representing their country. They're out here playing as hard as anyone else, so they deserved to be paid like anyone else is.
"It's wonderful to see teams like Fiji, teams like Tonga involved in World Cup semi-finals, we see the talent emerging from these nations now.
"More and more of these guys from these nations are playing in the NRL. They're getting great coaching, they've got more opportunities now to show their skills and they're showing it now in these tournaments, it's great for the international game."
Meanwhile, Smith says Melbourne would be "crazy" not to consider signing Mitchell Pearce to the Storm after recent reports linking the ex-Roosters halfback to the premiers.
Cooper Cronk's decision to move the other way, it has left the Storm light on for experience in the halves with youngsters Cameron Munster and Brodie Croft looming as the number six and seven at Melbourne next season.
Manly, Cronulla and Newcastle are also keen on Pearce's services, but the departure of Cronk has left Smith's side with a gaping hole that the 28-year-old could fill.
"We've got two young kids there playing in pretty critical positions for us, I think you'd be crazy not to have a look at the opportunity to get Mitchell Pearce's services for next year," Smith said.
"Mitch is a wonderful player, I think he's a wonderful halfback, he's been a representative halfback for a long time now. Why wouldn't you want to be looking at him as a halfback for your team knowing now that he's not going to be at the Roosters.
"I'm not too sure what Mitch is thinking at the moment, there's obviously been a handful of clubs tossed up concerning his future and them willing to look at him being on their books next year.
"If he was keen to come to Melbourne, I'd certainly put my hand up and say 'Yeah we'd love to have you'."
