ARLC boss Peter V'landys has urged clubs not to sack player if they refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, despite many NRL clubs wanting it to be mandatory.
With clubs set to return for pre-season training in November, there remains no mandate for players to receive the jab across the competition.
Cronulla and Parramatta are already very high in regards to vaccination rates, with the game hoping to get 95 per-cent of its players vaccinated before next season begins.
Speaking to Nine News on Monday night, V'landys was asked whether clubs would be able to sack players who refuse to be vaccinated, but did urge them to all reach 95 per-cent of their players who have received both jabs.
“I don’t think so," he said.
"Rugby league is going to be similar to the rest of the community – once we get to a certain point of vaccination, we have protection.
"I think they have got to be careful because firstly we haven’t mandated it. We believe that we can put measures in place that allows both vaccinated and unvaccinated players to be together.
“All our expert advice tells us that there is no great risk if 95 per-cent of our players are vaccinated and the other 5 per-cent aren’t.
"Some clubs are well above 95-per-cent – the ones I can recall are the Sharks and Parramatta.
"There’s other clubs that have fallen behind and we will chase those clubs up to ensure they get to 95 per-cent."
Peter V'landys is worried the #NRL is headed for a war based on vaccination status.
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) October 25, 2021
He's calling for clubs to maintain a united front, making it clear club bosses should not sack players who refuse the jab.@Danny_Weidler #9News pic.twitter.com/CsnWKlcY2B
The comments from V'landys come just days after reports from The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that Bulldogs prop Luke Thompson doesn't want to be vaccinated, putting him at loggerheads with the club.
And while there has been no mandate put in place by the NRL or ARLC at this stage, V'landys made it clear that vaccinated players will reap the benefits of extra freedom and the ability to travel freely.
“I think they will have greater freedom – there is no doubt they will have more freedom than an unvaccinated player," he said.
"They also won’t have the problem of going interstate and international.
“We’ve got to stay united as a rugby league family. I don’t want a situation where there’s us and them – we’ve got to be together.
"I’m just hoping the hysteria in the community about vaccinated and unvaccinated people, doesn’t come into the rugby league world."
