Tune into our new show Fox League Live on Channel 502 at 5pm every day, and at 3pm on Saturdays.

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys has said that players should not be forced into wage cuts next year – if he is able to slash the running costs of League Central.

V’landys told the Courier Mailthat he wanted 2021’s wages to be remain the same, as the players look set to sign on a deal which would see them take a 75 per cent reduction in pay on the proviso the competition didn’t restart in 2020.

Watch Foxtel in an instant. Catch up and settle in with no installation & no lock-in contract. Sign up to all of Foxtel Now with a 10-day free trial. New customers only.

It’s a view shared by RLPA boss Clint Newton, who said: “The most important thing is that right now, the broadcast agreement is secured. Next year hasn’t been impacted at the moment by the coronavirus.”

And those sentiments were echoed by V’landys, who said he wanted head office to be the first to bear the brunt of the financial uncertainty.

“I’m not saying the salary cap next year will be cut because I want the players to be last affected,” V’landys said.

NRL’S BEST 17: But you can only pick ONE player from each club

LIVE UPDATES: All the latest from the coronavirus crisis

CODE WARS: Mark Geyer takes aim at ‘irrelevant’ and ‘stupid’ AFL great

“I can’t ask for more than what the players have given the game and I want to support them.

“If we can save expenses, then there may be no need to slash player wages next year.

“In my view, I want to back the players.

“It may happen that yes we do have to reduce the cap, but that will be last resort for me.

“I don’t want to alarm the players and have them thinking they will lose more money next year.

“My preference is to cut expenses at the ARL and NRL … and that’s what I’ll be doing.”

That could put V’landys on a collision course, with the game’s out-of-contract CEO, Todd Greenberg, who has only agreed to a 25 per cent pay-cut.

He is understood to be on a salary of $1.5 million.