Kiwis star Nelson Asofa-Solomona and 14 other NRL players are nearing the deadline to have their first Covid-19 vaccination before restrictions will start to impact their rugby league careers.
Asofa-Solomona is the only Melbourne Storm player yet to be vaccinated but his club said his return to pre-season training isn't until mid-December, meaning he still has another week to get his first jab before his stance becomes an issue.
The NRL has not followed the AFL in mandating the vaccine but state government health orders in both Queensland - where three NRL clubs are based - and the Storm's home state of Victoria have said players must be fully-vaccinated in order to train and play.
Asofa-Solomona has previously used social media to speak out against lockdowns and the mandated vaccination, previously questioning why some nurses were against the jab before he took down his Instagram account.
"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.
Asofa-Solomona is part of a small group of players yet to be vaccinated but Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys said he feels that number will dwindle in coming weeks.
"I think people are making a mountain out of a molehill," V'landys said.
"There are 15 players and that should reduce over time.
"We believe we can - like the government in New South Wales, allow for 95 per cent vaccination and the 5 per cent 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."
The 2022 NRL season kicks off on March 10 before the Storm's first match takes place on March 12 against the West Tigers.
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