The deadline is nearing for Kiwis star Nelson Asofa-Solomona to have his first vaccination to allow him to join his NRL club's pre-season training.
The sole Melbourne Storm player resisting COVID-19 vaccination, Asofa-Solomona could be among the first players stood down, putting his NRL career and AU$675,000 annual paycheque at risk.
Despite the NRL not following the lead of the AFL and mandating vaccination, players in both Queensland and Victoria must follow state government health orders and be double jabbed to train and play.
The Storm says Asofa-Solomona's return to training date is mid-December, meaning he has another week to have his first jab, leaving the required three weeks before the second was due.
He previously posted footage on social media of the anti-lockdown/mandated vaccination rally in Melbourne's CBD on Saturday and had used the social media platform to question why some nurses were against the jab.
"Front line nurses speaking out. Ask the question, why are they willing to lose their job to not get the juice? What are they seeing that we don't see," the 25-year-old posted on his Instagram story.
His post was accompanied by a link to a video of South Australian healthcare workers protesting SA Heath's decision to make unvaccinated healthcare workers take leave.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys says only a minute amount of players have yet to be jabbed, but he's confident that will change.
"I think people are making a mountain out of a molehill," V'landys tells Nine
"There are 15 players and that should reduce over time.
"We believe we can - like the government in New South Wales, allow for 95 percent vaccination and the 5 percent who don't - you can work with it. The risk is low to nothing.
"So we are going in accordance with what the NSW government is doing.
"We can put processes in place where no one is at risk."
Reuters / Newshub
