No end is in sight to the NRL's Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, despite the league and the players' union likely finding common ground on the proposed salary cap figure.
Up to 200 NRL stars are expected to converge on Sydney's CBD for a crucial Rugby League Players Association meeting on Monday, with another 100 likely to join via teleconference.
The salary cap only forms part of the long-running CBA discussions, with the players' union still not yet content with a number of other key components to the deal.
However it's understood the RLPA is unlikely to request any major change to the $9.4 million total salary cap figure agreed upon by clubs and the NRL for next season.
After an RLPA board meeting this weekend, the players will be presented with the NRL's latest CBA offer which was tabled last week, but no vote will take place on whether to accept the deal.
Instead, it's believed RLPA negotiators still plan to contest a number of key points in the agreement, including injury compensation, integrity unit protocols, retirement benefits and use of individual player branding.
It's likely that could take at least another three days of meetings between the NRL and the RLPA to resolve.
"It is unfortunate that we will not be in a position to take an in-principle agreement to RLPA members for consideration during the mass meeting on Monday," RLPA CEO Ian Prendergast said on Friday.
"But we are committed to continue working towards reaching an agreement over the coming weeks."
It's understood the issue of shared revenue also remains a point of contention.
While it's believed the NRL has come part way on the matter, there is debate between the two parties about what is protected.
Meanwhile the increased cap figure includes a base of $9.2 million, plus an optional $200,000 available for long-serving and developed players.
It represents a significant increase from the $7.1 million base cap available to clubs this season, but is short of the $10 million originally mooted last year.
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