One of the ARLC's battles with players over safety and welfare issues has progressed to the courtroom, with former forward Michael Greenfield suing the governing body for not eradicating the shoulder charge.

At a time when the player's union is at loggerheads with administrators over the number of five-day turnarounds in the 2016 schedule, Greenfield is suing the ARLC for negligence and/or breach of duty of care, claiming head office failed to change the rules to avoid the risk of unnecessary harm.

The NRL outlawed the shoulder charge for the 2013 season, but the ban didn't come in time to prevent a career-ending injury to Greenfield. In his only appearance for Melbourne the previous season, Greenfield was the victim of a shoulder charge from then-Bronco Ben Te'o. Greenfield, who has a history of neck problems, underwent neck surgery shortly afterwards and never played again. The shoulder charge was banned six months later.

In a statement of claim filed in the NSW Supreme Court, Greenfield claims the ARLC "was under a duty to take precautions against a risk of harm that was foreseeable, not insignificant" and a reasonable body in its position would have taken such precautions.