Melbourne Storm star Nelson Asofa-Solomona has two weeks to decide whether he wants to be vaccinated for the coronavirus.
Under Victorian government policy, any person in Melbourne who is classified as an authorised worker must have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine already, and be fully vaccinated by November 26.
Any person not fully vaccinated by November 26 will be unable to work.
Given the three to four week lag needed between vaccinations, Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski told SEN Radio that for Asofa-Solomona to not miss any pre-season training, he will need to have his first dose within the next fortnight.
It was revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday evening that Asofa-Solomona has reportedly told the club he doesn't want to be vaccinated.
The NRL, unlike the Melbourne-based AFL, are not mandating vaccinations for players and staff, with players instead encouraged to be vaccinated, with clubs and the NRL alike worried about state border issues for the unvaccinated and other issues which may arise.
Rodski said it was a complicated issue.
“It’s obviously a pretty complicated issue and there’s no textbook for this,” Rodski told SEN.
“We haven’t been through this before as an industry and or even as a society.
“There’s a whole range of complexities that sit around this.
“At this stage, he’s got about two weeks to consider whether or not to get vaccinated. The return date for our senior players is December 7, so there’s still a little bit of time.
“From a personal point of view, there’s a whole range of factors and considerations that players, staff and anyone who is deemed an authorised worker in Victoria needs to consider.
“Because the state government’s health orders have deemed that all authorised workers need to double vaccinated.
“That precludes him from entering the venue, it precludes anyone for that matter. It doesn’t matter if your staff, a coach, a player, a courier dropping something off, it doesn’t matter."
It's understood the Storm have already been in discussions with the NRL around what the next steps will be, while the NRL have also told clubs in other states that unvaccinated players will only be able to continue club commitments in a restricted capacity.
