A meeting of over 300 NRL players in Sydney on Monday week, called to discuss the CBA negotiations, is likely to be the biggest show of industrial muscle in Australian sport.
The RLPA has asked each of the 16 NRL clubs to send 20 players to a meeting on August 21, at a Sydney venue yet to be decided because of the size of the gathering.
Intense negotiations between the NRL executive and the RLPA over the salary cap and a share of revenue continue on a daily basis, but if talks break down, or clubs reject a CBA agreed by the NRL and RLPA, a crisis meeting could turn mutinous.
Given the large numbers of players present and the growing frustration at the protracted negotiations, the meeting could vote to boycott upcoming NRL events, such as the Dally M awards
However, the NRL and RLPA are optimistic of a resolution and have produced an ideal timeline, ending with a meeting of the ARLC on August 24.
The NRL has scheduled a meeting of club chiefs for August 17 to present what it hopes is an agreed in principle five-year CBA with the RLPA.
Should the clubs agree, the meeting of players on Monday week becomes a mere rubber stamp.
The RLPA board will then convene to officially approve the deal, ahead of the CBA being ratified by the meeting of the ARLC .
Given that the semi-finals begin in just over two weeks from the players' meeting, it's expected there will be resistance from coaches of those non-Sydney clubs whose teams are guaranteed to be in the play-offs.
Broncos coach Wayne Bennett has already expressed opposition to expressions of RLPA unity with his objection to players wearing green association armbands.
Players from distant clubs, such as the Townsville-based Cowboys, will probably participate via video link, especially if they are merely endorsing a deal.
Confirming the timeline and conceding a venue, such as the Homebush headquarters of the association, could not accommodate the meeting, RLPA chief executive Ian Prendergast said: "We've had productive discussions with [NRL chief executive] Todd [Greenberg] and the NRL recently and are hopeful of reaching an agreement in principle over the next week or so that can be presented to our board and players for approval.
"In the meantime, we are doing everything we can to resolve the outstanding issues that exist so that we can deliver certainty to the industry and a deal that is a win for fans, clubs, the NRL and players."
An NRL source confirmed that the RLPA had made it aware of the mass meeting of players.
At issue is the size of the salary cap and what is included in it, such as vehicle allowances and a proposed NRL "good behaviour bond".
The RLPA has also asked for a revenue share of 29 per cent. The Australian Cricketers' Association recently won a protracted battle to have their revenue share of 31 per cent restored, while the AFLPA achieved an agreed revenue share of between 27-28 per cent.
The NRL may agree to a revenue share on the condition projected sources of income render it affordable.
While the CBA and the next five-year broadcasting agreement will expire at the end of the 2022 season, there is fear that declining TV ratings and advertising income may make some current deals unsustainable.
The NRL is similarly concerned an over-generous payday to players will produce unrealistic expectations for the next deal, given the industry pessimism post 2022.
The current CBA does not expire until October 31, unlike the negotiations with the AFLPA and ACA that continued after existing CBA's had expired.
Nor has the acrimony been as bitter, with the John Grant-led ARLC delegating responsibility to the NRL executive.
As in all negotiations between sports and their player associations, ground was made when the "good guy" chief executive of the code, seeing the smoke, rode down from the hills and into the meetings.
Should a resolution be reached, "Sheriff" Todd Greenberg's next headache may be handing out breach notices to 300 players celebrating a pay rise together in Sydney.