No jab, no play? If you ask Canberra Raiders player Michael Oldfield, it just doesn't make sense.
Team mates Sia Soliola, Josh Papalii and Joe Tapine returned to training today, just a day after they were told to stay home, for refusing to get a flu shot or sign the associated NRL waiver form.
Oldfield has thrown his support behind the trio's decision.
"My guess is if they don't believe in vaccinations, they aren't vaccinated themselves right now and they probably weren't as kids so I guess they're healthy enough," Oldfield said.
"I've grown up and just got the jab but obviously for whatever reason they don't and I just believe that's their choice and I support them and at the end of the day I don't feel more at risk because of them.
"There has to be some sort of way the NRL and whatever players are involved in this, there has to be some way to mutually come to some sort of agreement without holding their freedom."
Raiders half Sam Williams said they were all told through a WhatsApp message earlier in the week, so it wasn't a shock when they didn't turn up to training.
"The boys were really upfront with us, they just let us know that they were waiting on a few things to be cleared before they came in so it wasn't a case of us showing up to training and not having them about," Williams said.
"It's a tough one, I haven't done the research on the background of their reasoning and I haven't spoken to them too closely about it.
"I'm sure once it all settles down they'll give some clear reasons why but at the moment it's their decision and individually we can only go forward and make our calls on what we know, so I've had my flu shot and no doubt they've got their reasons why they haven't."
The NRL will be reviewing each player who refuses the jab, on a case by case basis.
from WWOS http://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/canberra-raiders-players-support-anti-vaccination-teammates/c2d64b88-d479-4439-a9ff-996beffa0d79
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