South Sydney prop Tom Burgess has argued the NRL-wide media boycott has been an effective tool in ensuring players' voices are heard in the ongoing labour dispute with the sport's head office.
A fortnight ago, Burgess fronted a press conference at which the Rugby League Players' Association (RLPA) announced its decision to stop players fulfilling media commitments on matchdays.
The RLPA took the action after growing frustrated with the NRL's delay in ratifying a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the game's players.
The union argued the NRL had left them with a take-it-or-leave it deal, with the players drawing a line in the sand and refusing to do pre-game or post-game interviews.
The lack of interviews has been noticeable on the coverage provided by broadcasters the Nine Network and Fox Sports, and has denied print, broadcast and digital fans the chance to hear from emotional debutants or elated try scorers.
Two weeks on, and despite RLPA requests for an independent mediator, there has been little movement.
Burgess said the union was examining its "next steps" but the prop was hopeful their action could be the catalyst for a resumption of talks.
"We don't want to hurt anyone with this," Burgess said.
"Using our voice and our action is one way of doing it, and we've been heard and we've been noticed.
"Hopefully it's a kickstart to getting the deal done.
"Where we were coming from is if the NRL is saying there's no room for negotiation then we were backed into a corner."
The RLPA had threatened action during the pre-season tournament earlier this year.
The ploy worked, with the union able to get the game's first CBA for NRLW players over the line.
"We're hoping this does the same thing," Parramatta forward Andrew Davey said.
Referring to the RLPA's CEO Clint Newton and operations manager Jamie Buhrer, Davey added: "Like every player and every delegate, Clint and Jamie have said that we just want to get to the table and get it done and be done with it.
"I'm not sure (what the next steps are). There's a couple of things on the table."
