Return of NRL ‘not shot’

PETER V’landys says rugby league’s hyped May 28 return will not be threatened by the ongoing anti-vaxxer debate, with the ARLC chairman also praising the “majority” of NRL players for supporting the flu shot.

V’landys said he expected the Queensland Government to confirm as early as today that players who refuse to be vaccinated will be granted an exemption to play north of the border.

The chairman also stressed those “handful” of footballers who refuse to be needled pose no greater risk to the community than anyone else who chooses not to get the shot.

Yet if the Queensland Government stands firm on a decision to ban players who refuse to be vaccinated, V’landys said it would not affect the NRL season resuming as planned.

“I think the Queensland Government will grant the waiver,” he said. “But if not, those [unvaccinated] players will be stood down.

“Right now, there are only two players in Queensland and a handful of others in NSW, so it’s only a few players. And of those, some have adverse reactions to the flu shot.

“When it comes to anti-vaxxers, I think there is maybe only three or four of them. And when you look at the community overall, it would be around the same percentage.

“That’s why I don’t understand the outrage.

“The vast majority of players have gone and got the flu shot straight away.”

As part of the Project Apollo blueprint to return on May 28, the NRL informed the Queensland Government that all players and staff would receive the flu vaccination.

However, the code was then confronted by more than 10 players who refused the jabs.