Rugby league's prestigious Dally M awards have been cancelled amid claims the players placed a "gun to the head" of the game.

NRL chief executive David Gallop made the stunning announcement after a three-hour meeting with the Rugby League Players' Association (RLPA) failed to resolve a dispute between the parties.

The RLPA, through president Tony Butterfield, countered by claiming the NRL came to the meeting with no intention to negotiate.

The end result was the cancellation of the game's celebrated awards night - which was set down for next Tuesday in Sydney.

"I have to put it in the category of bizarre," Gallop said.

"This was so unnecessary. We had made so much progress. I just can't understand it.

"It's just frustrating for the game. The game didn't need this. It's not good for the game's image.

"What was so urgent?"

The players had threatened to boycott the awards ceremony unless the NRL came to the party on several key issues relating to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which is due to be completed in November.

Chief among those was the concept of a minimum wage, indemnity for players' wages if clubs went broke, insurance, death benefits and intellectual property rights.

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