Alyssa Healy has declared that she and other Australian cricketers stand in solidarity with the country's netballers after pledging an unprecedented financial fund to help them in their pay dispute.
The Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) confirmed on Wednesday they would set up a "fighting fund" for the nation's netballers, in the midst of a bitter pay dispute with Netball Australia (NA).
The finer details of the fund are still to be finalised, but it is expected to be a six-figure package to assist netballers who have officially been off contract since September 30.
At the crux of the issue is the players' push for a revenue-sharing model, as opposed to the eight Super Netball clubs and Netball Australia (NA) who want a three-year profit-share deal.
The issue exploded last week with both the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA) and NA hitting out at each other in the lead up to Australia's Constellation Cup series against New Zealand.
Australia's cricketers have previously fought hard to maintain a revenue-share model in the sport, including in their own ugly pay dispute with head office in 2017.
Healy is one of the biggest female sporting stars in the country, and said she had been moved by the plights of the netballers.
"There are girls that are uncontracted, they're unemployed at the moment," Healy said.
"They're struggling to get rental agreements, pay their mortgages, whatever it might be.
"For us as female athletes, we're just trying to stand up and help them in any way that we can and to use our voice a little bit, hopefully it helps."
Netball's players union had last week called for mediation on the matter, claiming players had "bent over backwards" in their offer.
They also claimed that NA had rejected their "real partnership model" and in turned presented an "unfair" deal.
NA, meanwhile, claim that the union have "rejected a groundbreaking CPA proposal".
The organisation also do not consider a revenue-share model as sustainable, leaving the situation at a stalemate with players unable to sign new deals for 2024 at any clubs.
"I'm not across the whole scenario in depth. So netball might tell me to go away," Healy conceded.
"But at the same time I think it's sad to see what was the pinnacle of women's sport in this country going through what it is at the moment.
"I just want to make sure that the players are supported."
The ACA have also led a push for other players' unions across multiple sports to offer similar support to the netballers, who have officially been off contract since September 30.
"Much like our female players in 2017, the netballers at the moment are leaning on friends and family for financial support." ACA CEO Todd Greenberg said.
"What is disappointing is that the netballers' requests are modest and affordable for the sport.
"The ACA believes they should be given the same partnership opportunities as our players - the same opportunities that has seen cricket thrive.
"The ACA stands with the netballers and will do so until this campaign is successful."
