NRL coronavirus: Gold Coast Titans players stood down after refusing flu vaccination

Dejan Kalinic

NRL coronavirus: Gold Coast Titans players stood down after refusing flu vaccination image

Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young revealed three NRL players in the state had been stood down as debate continues over the flu vaccination.

Gold Coast Titans trio Bryce Cartwright, Brian Kelly and Nathan Peats are reportedly the players who have been stood down. 

Several players are refusing to get the flu shot amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the NRL still planning to restart its season on May 28.

A waiver clause is reportedly being revised to allow players to play and train without getting the vaccine.

However, Young said three Queensland-based players had been stood down as talks between the government and NRL continue.

"I've had a discussion with them this morning and they've stood down those three players, at the moment, until we work through what it means," she told a news conference on Friday.

"In actual fact, they've done a very, very good job. All their other players, staff and officials are all vaccinated.

"That is an amazing outcome so I'm sure we're going to be able to sort it all out so that's all being fixed."

Young added: "They'll be coming back to me about those three individual players, but remembering that's three players out of three teams so we'll work that one through."

Peats took to Twitter to clarify his position, revealing that past experiences with the flu shot had caused a negative reaction.

He was indicated that he will get the shot and that he would have agreed straight away if he knew that the situation would 'blow up'.

"Seen my name in the media regarding getting stood down for no flu jab. It has nothing to do with some other players and being anti vaccination," he said. 

"Myself, wife and both my sons are vaccinated.

"I had a bad experience in 2012 when I was at Souths when I had the flu shot, that’s my only reason behind it.

"I’ve spoken to the club and will get the jab this afternoon.

"I had the option to say yes or no and I chose no for that reason. If I knew it would blow up I would have said yes straight away."



 

Australia has seen more than 6,900 cases of coronavirus, including 97 deaths.

Dejan Kalinic