NRL players who choose to go unvaccinated could risk being sacked with eight weeks’ notice following a proposal put forward by the Rugby League Players’ Association.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the RLPA in conjunction with several club bosses, sent a proposal to all teams tonight outlining a set of potential new rules to manage the game’s unvaccinated stars.
The proposal comes as the NRL goes against the idea of making vaccination mandatory for players, even after today’s announcement from the Queensland government that anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated would be barred entry to stadiums – including players.
In the SMH report, the proposal put together by the RLPA and club bosses suggests docking players “1/52nd of their pay for every week where a player is unable to train in any capacity whatsoever”, and “1/30th for every week in-season where the player is unavailable for that week’s NRL match due to his unvaccinated status”.
Meanwhile, sacking can be a final option for a club.
“Unilateral termination is not available until a minimum of eight weeks after a player has been formally provided with the vaccination club direction,” the proposal states as quoted by the SMH.
Earlier today, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said that the NRL playing group was more than 95 per cent vaccinated heading into next season.
“The clubs have done a terrific job,” Abdo said.
“We’re at well over 95 per cent vaccination rate now across the playing group, which is terrific. Some clubs are at 100 per cent.
“Whilst we haven’t mandated vaccinations, we have been incredibly strong in educating and facilitating as many players as possible getting vaccinated, and the players and clubs have responded.”
As it stands, superstar Melbourne Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona is one player who’s yet to budge on getting the COVID-19 vaccination.
The Canterbury Bulldogs recently found themselves in a similar situation when forward Luke Thompson took that same stance before ultimately deciding to get the vaccination.
Bulldogs CEO Aaron Warburton said today his club was nearly at 100 per cent vaccination, with just a “couple of guys” still working with the club on what their next steps will be.
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“It’s tricky, everything we’ve done this year has been very united… we’ve been thinking about it for months,” Warburton told 2GB’s Wide World of Sports radio.
“We’ve been a leader in many parts of off-field performance this year.
“We’re close. We’ve got one or two that understand the importance of health and safety, and that’s what it all comes down to.
“It’s that little term within a contract that comes down to everyone that is employed… we get it and we’re just working through a very sensitive topic with just a couple of guys.”
While the NRL hasn’t put in place a vaccination mandate, rival code the AFL announced last month that their competition would take the opposite approach.
The AFL’s policy currently instructs all AFL and AFLW players, as well as club staff to be vaccinated by the start of their respective upcoming seasons.
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