![The Canberra Raiders' Matt Frawley. Picture by Keegan Carroll The Canberra Raiders' Matt Frawley. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/e277bc20-b89f-4cc5-9ed4-f35d4ed6fd9f.jpg/r0_207_5172_3126_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
There's a lot of talk about strike action in the NRL amid the stalled collective bargaining agreement negotiations, but fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
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Canberra Raiders veteran and Rugby League Players Association delegate Matt Frawley believes a deal will be made in the coming weeks without the need for a strike.
"That would be the very last resort," Frawley told The Canberra Times.
"I don't think it is a possibility to be honest. I'd be very, very surprised if that was the case.
"We don't want to be taking footy away from the fans and we want to be playing footy as well. There's some other things we can take a stance on to get our message across.
"It's definitely not what the players want to do, the NRL and fans don't want it. If we can avoid that and negotiate, that will be best for all parties."
Frawley was in Sydney on the weekend for an RLPA conference where players from different NRL clubs and other sporting unions gathered to share their experiences and get updated on the CBA negotiations.
All Blacks legend Dan Carter and former Socceroo Craig Foster also spoke to players as guest speakers.
"All player associations have been through CBA negotiations with governing bodies and you can definitely learn a lot from their experiences," Frawley said.
"Craig Foster was really impressive. He was heavily involved with the footballers' association for a long time.
"Having that support and hearing those stories definitely helps. Sometimes you think it's just us going through those negotiations but every code goes through it.
"It gives us some positivity that we're on the right track and to keep staying united and pushing for what we think is fair and reasonable."
The RLPA are continuing negotiations with the NRL this week, with an agreement edging closer after months in a tense standoff.
As part of the RLPA's player advisory group, Frawley is the link between the players - male and female - and the union, and top of the priority list is locking in the first ever CBA for the NRLW.
The Raiders half knows how important the issue is for Canberra as one of four new teams in the women's competition this season, and still not one player has been able to be officially signed due to the CBA delays.
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"There's players that are looking to sign contracts and they can't," Frawley said. "We know the NRL wants to get something done too, it's just about coming to the right agreement.
"We want to get the Raiders sorted to build that team, and to be a club that's not based in Sydney has its challenges as well, so you need to get the ball rolling straightaway.
"It's all delegates meeting at the moment, going through things with the RLPA collectively, then the RLPA will have meetings with the NRL and they will act on our behalf."
While the conversation in the media around the CBA talks has at times been damaging to both the players and the NRL, Frawley is confident once a deal is made, all parties will be able to move on without any bitterness.
"I don't think the relationship will be tarnished, it's just part of the process," he said.
"They can be tough, uncomfortable conversations to have sometimes. But the things we're going for are mostly from players in their late 20s and early 30s.
"So we're not going to reap the benefits much, it's going to be for the future generations, and for us to leave a bit of a legacy and leave the game in good hands."
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