NRL players won’t agree to resuming the competition until there is clarity on how much money they will receive - and how much head office will spend - to get it running again.

The NRL has earmarked May 28 as the day the premiership will recommence, although they need the players’ union to first agree to the revenues, operating costs and welfare provisions in order for that to happen.

The Rugby League Players Association and head office had agreed to a new pay deal based on the worst-case scenario of no matches being played in 2020, with the parties still yet to agree to the terms of a resumption. That includes receiving a minimum of 29.5 per cent of any additional revenue that could flow into the game as a result in play resuming.

The players are keen to return to the field but first want some assurances before doing so. That includes an understanding of the NRL’s operational costs to restart, an important consideration given the stinging criticism head office has received over how much money is being spent to run the game. The Herald last month revealed Rugby League Central spends almost $500,000 a day to run the competition, while broadcast partner Channel Nine - the publishers of this masthead - claims countless millions were “squandered by a bloated head office” in an extraordinary broadside on Thursday.