Dale Finucane claims the threat of industrial action against the NRL is real, with a crucial Monday night meeting to determine if players make a move against head office looming.
The Rugby League Players Association emailed members on Monday to highlight their concerns over the drawn-out negotiations, which are now almost five months overdue.
Included in the frustration of players was the belief the situation was close to resolved four weeks ago, only for progress to have slowed dramatically since.
Issues continue to centre around minimum-wage players, minor terms in women's bridging contracts and the NRL's push for a transfer window.
That last point remains a significant one of contention, with the union questioning what will be solved by telling players they cannot sign with a rival club for the following year before June 30.
Players had threatened action during the NRL's pre-season challenge, including delaying the kick-off of matches and covering NRL logos before the speed of negotiations ramped up.
Finucane is hopeful the looming meeting of the men's player advisory group, which he is part of, will again spur the talks into action.
"There will be a meeting to discuss those things," Finucane said.
"We had a discussion during the trials around potentially what might happen. And then around that the NRL came to the table a lot quicker.
"Hopefully now that that has happened it will take place a lot quicker. But if that is not the case, that discussion will take place next week."
How soon a collective bargaining agreement can be finalised remains in significant doubt.
There is a feeling from the players' union that there is no more wriggle room left in their counter-offers to the NRL, prompting a fear of another drawn-out stalemate.
That would be particularly concerning for female players, whose advisory group will meet Thursday.
While the men's CBA has rolled over from last season until a new one is negotiated, there was no agreement in place for the women's game.
That has left female players unsigned for this year, with the RLPA not wanting the contracting window open while terms and conditions are yet to be finalised.
The hold up comes despite an in-principle agreement on key financial NRLW terms being settled last month.
That has already proved costly for one player, with rookie Tayla Curtis' season over and a two-year contract she verbally agreed to with St George Illawarra taken off the table after rupturing her ACL in a NSW Cup match.
"Things have slowed, and I don't know why that is the case," Finucane said.
"I sat in on one of the meetings two weeks ago and it did sound like there were a few things to be nutted out.
"And once those things were nutted out then all things going well, putting pen to paper shouldn't be far off."
