Cameron Smith has backed away from strike action over the player union’s pay demands, saying the Rugby League Players Association has been buoyed by the AFL’s recent deal.

Queensland captain Smith showed his support by wearing an RLPA hat to a Maroons media call, ahead of a new round of talks in Sydney on Tuesday with the NRL over the player union’s collective bargaining agreement proposal.

Smith threatened NRL players could follow cricket’s path a month ago but on Tuesday said they had been encouraged by AFL players recently cutting a new six-year deal with the league worth $1.84 billion, which ties their wages to competition revenue for the first time.