Canberra Raiders' Joe Tapine still considering COVID vaccine options

[sprintman]

We really are a soft touch as a supposedly professional organisation.

[Schifty]

Might as well just relocate the club to Byron Bay.

[Billy Walker]

6 games is a fair whack of the season for players to miss. It also puts us at a huge disadvantage if we need to play a final in Victoria or Queensland. Not sacking the players is a legitimate choice but I would expect the club should definitely be making contract adjustments to ensure we can afford high quality back up players. Not sure this is a sustainable situation and expect clubs are hoping Covid settles and border policies soften. If they don’t the value of these unvaccinated players drops considerably.

[nachopants]

I hope this is taken into account with the salary cap. If you're unfit for work or unable to fulfill your duties in any other role, well...

[sprintman]

SMH article:

Unvaccinated NRL players could be sacked with eight weeks’ notice if they refuse to be vaccinated for COVID-19 under a proposal drafted by the Rugby League Players’ Association in consultation with a select group of NRL club bosses.

The revised pitch was fired off via email to all the clubs on Tuesday afternoon after NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo rejected claims the governing body’s vaccination policy was “soft” by not making the COVID vaccination mandatory for all players and staff.

[RichmondRaider]

Jesus **** Christ. We’ve already got a bottom eight squad, now they’re going to let blokes on extremely good wickets miss a third of the season because of pseudoscience?

Might as well just concede the season now.

It could be trying the softly softly approach with the hold outs. You don't want to back an anti-vaxxer into a corner - they will just double down.

Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

[Botman]

I believe the nrl should take this out of the clubs hands
Unvaccinated players should be given 8 weeks notice to get their affairs in order, or be stood down indefinitely without pay until they do

[gerg]

Agreed. There's plenty of work around. I'll have an eggs benedict thank you Mr Tapine.

[Off]

Am I right in saying that only vaccinated people are allowed into stadiums to watch theses unvaccinated EDIT.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[cat]

Am I right in saying that only vaccinated people are allowed into stadiums to watch theses unvaccinated EDIT.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

In QLD and Vic yes.
In NSW yes until 15th Dec unless Dom backflips again (which is likely )
Its not mandated in ACT ( but should be)

As far as I know you need to be double vaxxed to board a plane so if they play in Sydney we will always have to drive.

I actually feel sorry for the clubs, the NRL are pretty much making the clubs the bad guys and not backing them up.

There was a report in the paper on the weekend saying Roosters made an advert, told players get vaxxed or leave and were going to say only vaxxed people allowed at games, they got a call from vlandys telling them to tone it down

[cat]

Agreed. There's plenty of work around. I'll have an eggs benedict thank you Mr Tapine.

I'm not sure about the ACT but in NSW you have to be double vaxxed to make my eggs benny at a cafe

Actually not many jobs Mr Tapine can do without qualifications and or double vaxxed, hope he has saved a lot of the money he has earned

[Botman]

FWIW i dont actually expect any of this to matter by the time the season kicks off
You only need to look at where things are now in terms of restrictions and where they were 8 weeks ago to see how quickly things are moving. By the time the NRL season kicks off, id wager even the unvaxxed idiots will have no problem playing in QLD

[Schifty]

Croker better keep an eye on his supply of horse de-wormer

[gangrenous]

FWIW i dont actually expect any of this to matter by the time the season kicks off
You only need to look at where things are now in terms of restrictions and where they were 8 weeks ago to see how quickly things are moving. By the time the NRL season kicks off, id wager even the unvaxxed idiots will have no problem playing in QLD

You may well be right for the start of season. But as winter rolls around if cases climb uncomfortably the unvaccinated are going to feel some heat again if wager.

[cat]

Botman, the restrictions can move just as fast in the opposite direction

I can also see the NRL backflipping just as fast on the unvaxxed come the season

If there is a hint the season is at risk of stopping again then the clubs will be told only vaxxed players playing and " don't blame us you should have sorted it pre season "

The NRL has become more reactive rather then pro active.

[gangrenous]

I don’t really see a risk of the season stopping any longer. Since COVID zero is gone the worst that could happen would be postponing a match with a positive player.

[Botman]

FWIW i dont actually expect any of this to matter by the time the season kicks off
You only need to look at where things are now in terms of restrictions and where they were 8 weeks ago to see how quickly things are moving. By the time the NRL season kicks off, id wager even the unvaxxed idiots will have no problem playing in QLD

You may well be right for the start of season. But as winter rolls around if cases climb uncomfortably the unvaccinated are going to feel some heat again if wager.

i dont know that anyone cares anymore about cases climbing. Unless those cases result in horrific health outcomes and overwhelmed health systems for better or worst it feels to me like we, and the world, are forging forward now. I cant see us rolling back from here into more resrtrictions.
It sort of is what it is at this point.

[-TW-]

They aren't postponing the NBA even though teams have covid positive players, they won't suspend the NRL again



Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Botman]

I don’t really see a risk of the season stopping any longer. Since COVID zero is gone the worst that could happen would be postponing a match with a positive player.

Dont think that'll be a thing either
if a player cant play, too bad, so sad... move on. We're trending very quickly IMO, toward a point where that's a clubs problem that is no different to any other injury
We have high levels of vaccinations now and the money at stake from the broadcasting deals will now really take precedence. The games will go on, as scheduled unless something drastic occurs

[gangrenous]

I don’t think I’d be that confident with the declarations in either of those posts.

Edit - Dammit Botman! I’m going to sleep and not fixing this. The two above the last post.

[gangrenous]

I don’t really see a risk of the season stopping any longer. Since COVID zero is gone the worst that could happen would be postponing a match with a positive player.

Dont think that'll be a thing either
if a player cant play, too bad, so sad... move on. We're trending very quickly IMO, toward a point where that's a clubs problem that is no different to any other injury
We have high levels of vaccinations now and the money at stake from the broadcasting deals will now really take precedence. The games will go on, as scheduled unless something drastic occurs

I was imagining player tests positive within close proximity of the game, game is postponed while they test all contacts. If they’re positive earlier in the week agree it’ll be that players out and clear everyone else to go on.

[Botman]

They aren't postponing the NBA even though teams have covid positive players, they won't suspend the NRL again
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

The NFL made Aaron Rodgers, the reigning MVP and one of the best players of all time, SIT in a prime time game against probably the most talented QB to ever grace a football field, becuase **** it, the schedule will march on..

this **** is done. Sports are done halting scheduling and putting at risk money... unlesss something very odd happens, which to be frank, could happen, this thing has been very wild... but short of that, it's very much BAU from here on out. Winding this back now is just not going to be a thing without a very significant event that justifies it

[Botman]

I don’t think I’d be that confident with the declarations in either of those posts.

Edit - Dammit Botman! I’m going to sleep and not fixing this. The two above the last post.

haha fair
go to bed

i THINK we're mostly on the same page... for better or worse, the show goes on now.

[FuiFui BradBrad]

Am I right in saying that only vaccinated people are allowed into stadiums to watch theses unvaccinated EDIT.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

In QLD and Vic yes.
In NSW yes until 15th Dec unless Dom backflips again (which is likely )
Its not mandated in ACT ( but should be)

As far as I know you need to be double vaxxed to board a plane so if they play in Sydney we will always have to drive.

I actually feel sorry for the clubs, the NRL are pretty much making the clubs the bad guys and not backing them up.

There was a report in the paper on the weekend saying Roosters made an advert, told players get vaxxed or leave and were going to say only vaxxed people allowed at games, they got a call from vlandys telling them to tone it down

Nah the club’s not going to say “We took the bus today because Taps isn’t vaccinated, so we couldn’t take the plane.” They’ll replace Taps, and board the plane.

I’m with Bot. The show will go on, and they’ll treat them like an injured player

[Akyle1994]

Am I right in saying that only vaccinated people are allowed into stadiums to watch theses unvaccinated EDIT.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

In QLD and Vic yes.
In NSW yes until 15th Dec unless Dom backflips again (which is likely )
Its not mandated in ACT ( but should be)

As far as I know you need to be double vaxxed to board a plane so if they play in Sydney we will always have to drive.

I actually feel sorry for the clubs, the NRL are pretty much making the clubs the bad guys and not backing them up.

There was a report in the paper on the weekend saying Roosters made an advert, told players get vaxxed or leave and were going to say only vaxxed people allowed at games, they got a call from vlandys telling them to tone it down

Nah the club’s not going to say “We took the bus today because Taps isn’t vaccinated, so we couldn’t take the plane.” They’ll replace Taps, and board the plane.

I’m with Bot. The show will go on, and they’ll treat them like an injured player

Hopefully this is how it’s approached, it’s the minority that’s unvaccinated as opposed to the majority. I’m unsure if other teams will have similar ratios however for the season to continue without issue. It will be interesting to see if a plan is put in place to handle breakouts amongst teams etc.

[FuiFui BradBrad]

Am I right in saying that only vaccinated people are allowed into stadiums to watch theses unvaccinated EDIT.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

In QLD and Vic yes.
In NSW yes until 15th Dec unless Dom backflips again (which is likely )
Its not mandated in ACT ( but should be)

As far as I know you need to be double vaxxed to board a plane so if they play in Sydney we will always have to drive.

I actually feel sorry for the clubs, the NRL are pretty much making the clubs the bad guys and not backing them up.

There was a report in the paper on the weekend saying Roosters made an advert, told players get vaxxed or leave and were going to say only vaxxed people allowed at games, they got a call from vlandys telling them to tone it down

Nah the club’s not going to say “We took the bus today because Taps isn’t vaccinated, so we couldn’t take the plane.” They’ll replace Taps, and board the plane.

I’m with Bot. The show will go on, and they’ll treat them like an injured player

Hopefully this is how it’s approached, it’s the minority that’s unvaccinated as opposed to the majority. I’m unsure if other teams will have similar ratios however for the season to continue without issue. It will be interesting to see if a plan is put in place to handle breakouts amongst teams etc.

Yeah I think this is going to be a non-issue by the time the season kicks off. Between the vaccination requirements to fly, stay in hotels, go out, go in the stadium, there’s enough ways to stop unvaccinated players.

It reminds me of a fun fact I read about German prisons. In Germany it’s not illegal to attempt to escape prison, but if the prisoner damages or steals government property, murders or assaults someone in the act of escaping, then they’re guilty of those additional crimes.

I think it’s similar. The NRL is not being heavy on the vaccination requirements, but all the external controls in place are limiting what the players can do anyway.

[Richo72]

I wonder if the club is also just hoping it will go away over Xmas/New Year before the season starts. Otherwise it is very naive to carry 3-4 players over a season that take up a huge chunk of the cap whilst being unavailable for 6 or more games. I think in 6 months time, when the reality of players not being able to fly or even enter stadiums nationwide sinks in, the club will have no choice but to sack players. These guys are really facing a “vaccinate or find another career” choice and I don’t think they themselves have really thought thru the ramifications of their current stance. Tapine wouldn’t even be able to return home to NZ under current rules….

[greeneyed]

15 players put their 2022 season at risk

These are the clubs with 15 unvaccinated players who have more than a combined $6 million to lose. From a total of 480 players with an NRL contract, only 3.1 per cent remain either waiting, or avoiding, their first jab. The Raiders are in a precarious position with four of their elite stars unvaccinated.

Read more: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... 0a48ce5f66

1 Jason Taumalolo - Cowboys $1 million
2 Warriors player $725,000
3 Nelson-Asofa Solomona - Storm $675,000
4 Josh Papalii - Raiders $660,000
5 Joseph Tapine - Raiders $600,000
6 Api Koroisau - Penrith $475,000
7 Raiders player - $400,000
8 Raiders player - $400,000
9 Dylan Walker - Sea Eagles $375,000
10 Brian Kelly - Titans $320,000
11 Sharks player - $300,000
12 John Asiata - Bulldogs $180,000
13 Tigers player - $150,000
14 Roosters player - $70,000
15 Dragons player - $70,000

[Off]

Piss em all off.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[greeneyed]

MOD NOTE: We will give this thread another shot. Please keep this focussed on the football and keep it polite. If you want to debate coronavirus and vaccinations generally there’s a thread on the Current Affairs board.

[Off]

Give me an example of that mate.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[Richo72]

If the club won’t sack them then they should RE-negotiate the terms of employment. The reality is is that if they are sacked no other club will pick them up…..$2mil worth of cap on the sidelines is completely untenable

[greeneyed]

The NRL is apparently developing a policy that can see player salaries reduced by up to 20 per cent for games missed. I presume that gets added back to the cap.

[Off]

Weak.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[Off]

Thats just blah blah blah.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk