Research is being undertaken by the NRL to determine the maximum number of matches that elite players should play each season, but it will be up to clubs to manage their workloads.

A recommendation on how many matches will be decided after consideration of the Game Strategy and Development Paper prepared by NRL head of strategy Shane Richardson, which has been presented to the coaches, chief executives, boards and football departments of all clubs.

If the findings of his whole of game review are adopted, players can also expect to have their annual leave increased from six to eight weeks and pre-season training limited to 12 weeks from 2018, when the new broadcast deal comes into effect.

There may also be minimum six-day turnarounds between games and a mandated half-day off each week for players once the NRL gains control of the scheduling from the broadcasters under the terms of the record $925 million free-to-air deal with Channel Nine.

These are the issues players say are making them consider boycotting the Dally M awards in grand final week and other NRL events, but Richardson has been working behind the scenes to develop long-term solutions to the season structure, player burnout and development pathways.

With an independent commission in control and the NRL financially strong, there is an opportunity to make real change from the grassroots to international level and Richardson has been evoking debate while undertaking the most collaborative review in the code's history, which also includes the NZRL, NSWRL, QRL, CRL, affiliated states and Pacific nations, as well as the clubs.

Among the research was a study involving academics, clubs, the Queensland Institute of Sport, which used the results of GPS tracking of players from NRL and State of Origin matches, as well as information from other elite sporting competitions around the world including the NFL, AFL and rugby union in New Zealand, Australia, England and Europe.

From the findings, it will be recommended players should be restricted to a maximum number of matches per year - including pre-season and representative fixtures - to reduce the risk of injury and prolong their careers.

However, unlike Cricket Australia or the New Zealand Rugby Union, the NRL does not have the power to tell clubs when or how often they should use players so those decisions will be largely left to coaches.

A review of all matches involving the game's top 40 players has resulted in the scrapping of the mid-season trans-Tasman Test and annual City-Country clash, while players may be restricted to a maximum of two pre-season fixtures, including the NRL Nines, All Stars and World Club Series.

A player who played three State of Origins and two Tests for Australia at the end of the season, as well as 23 NRL rounds and two pre-season fixtures, would play 30 matches. However, if his team made the grand final he could play as many as 34 matches.

While many believe the number of matches during the regular season should be cut, NRL CEO Dave Smith said after announcing the new broadcast deal with Nine that reducing the competition from 24 rounds to 22 rounds would have cost $100 million.

As a result, it will be up to coaches to make the calls on player welfare, as Sydney Roosters mentor Trent Robinson has this season by resting Origin stars Mitchell Pearce, Michael Jennings, Boyd Cordner and Aidan Guerra from premiership fixtures.

The Roosters' third successive minor premiership shows the benefits of roster management during what is arguably the toughest and most demanding - mentally as well as physically - competition in sport, and Robinson has managed to achieve such sustained success by using fewer players than rival clubs.

According to Champion Data, the Roosters have used 24 players so far this season and a total of 75 players over the past three seasons - the lowest number of any club. In comparison, South Sydney have used 26 players this season and 80 players during the past three seasons - the second-least overall.

At the other end of the spectrum, Gold Coast have used 93 players over the past three seasons, including 32 this year, while Wests Tigers, Parramatta, Penrith, Newcastle and Cronulla have used 91 and the Warriors have used 90. However, the Sharks have only used 25 players this season. Of the remaining teams in the finals, Canterbury and Melbourne have used 27 players in 2015, North Queensland 28, Brisbane 29 and St George Illawarra 30.

ARLC chairman John Grant called on clubs at the start of the season to take more responsibility for managing the workloads of the game's stars after statistics compiled for NRL head of football Todd Greenberg found training schedules had doubled in the past decade.