Manly Sea Eagles prop Josh Aloiai has become the first NRL player to contract COVID-19, causing his upcoming fight with Paul Gallen to be postponed.
Aloiai, who was set to fight the former Cronulla Sharks great on December 10, called in sick to a promotional photo shoot for the bout on Tuesday.
The Sea Eagles confirmed Aloiai was diagnosed with the virus on Wednesday.
“Josh was not due to return to official team training until mid-December and has had no recent face to face contact with his Manly team-mates,” a club statement read.
“Josh is fully vaccinated and the club is working with the NRL to ensure he follows NSW Health Orders and NRL protocols over the coming weeks.”
It has been reported that Aloiai was training with former Wests Tigers enforcer Joey Leilua, who tested positive to COVID earlier in the week. Leilua was set to fight as part of the undercard.
According to Main Event’s Ben Damon, organisers are hopeful of rescheduling the fight before Christmas. However, any postponement is bad news for Leilua, who was set to depart Australia immediately following the bout to begin a stint at English club Featherstone.
Following months of sniping between Aloiai and Gallen, the keenly anticipated showdown was finally locked in earlier this month for two eight-minute rounds.
Promoter Matt Rose told The Age that news of Aloiai’s positive test came as ‘a shock’.
“We’ve had to adapt to this over the past two years and the last time we had to cancel an event was between Jeff Horne and Tim Tszyu,” Rose said.
“Right now, we’re trying to work out how we can try to get the show back on before the year is out. We won’t know those details until early next week.
“We still want this to go ahead with a postponement of some sort before Christmas.”
Aloiai is the first current NRL player known to have caught the virus since the start of the pandemic last year.
He was not yet due back at Manly training, and it’s believed the entire Sea Eagles squad has at least had their first vaccine against the virus.
Less than 15 NRL players are still to have their first shot.
And the NRL is confident that number will be no more than five players, with clubs still weighing up how to best deal with those who refuse the vaccine.
It comes as the AFL had its first case in more than a year earlier this month after Hawthorn’s Finn Maginness tested positive.
A handful of AFLW players have also contracted the virus.
The Sheffield Shield match between NSW and Victoria at the SCG was also postponed for day when allrounder Will Sutherland tested positive.
All tickets purchased for the fight between Aloiai and Gallen will be refunded.
Nat
Roar Guru
Ohh cheechy, did you break into mums liquor cabinet? Incoherent ramblings of lonely little boy. See you at the pub champ. Oh wait... :laughing: :laughing: #eatmyassfa-quit.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
No it was a brain scan…results are in, they didn’t find anything
Nat
Roar Guru
So given the chance to support your BS you spout another headline. What a free thinker you are. If i create a four word catchphrase, we'll you follow me blindly as well?
mushi
Roar Guru
Maybe Delta finally did something good for the world...
Tony
Roar Guru
He's popped out for a Covid test
Tom G
Roar Rookie
You need to stop drinking your own bath water champ.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
I find it ironic that those in society, following moronic conspiracy theories have adopted the term sheep to describe others when clearly they are the ones being led
Nat
Roar Guru
Too lazy! from you! :laughing: :laughing: Not one time have you ever backed up a claim. You get shot down on every BS statement. Instead of post a link, add a source and support your position you just call people sheep. Even Trump would cringe reading your BS.
Nat
Roar Guru
No you won't because an educated Doctor will hook you up to life saving machines developed by scientific research. At least you will be in a lot of pain.
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
Whatever mate….You have zero proof he didn’t contract Covid yet you decided to insinuate he’s lying & that he has no balls coz he was afraid to fight Gallen. I’m assuming if you were in his shoes you’d have still taken the fight on & put others at risk. Enough said.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Mate I never ran from a fight in my life. I tried to avoid them but I never lost one and I survived Redfern in the 70’s and early 80’s before it got cleaned up. . Does that mean I think I’m tougher than than Aloiai and can do what he does in the NRL? Certainly not. But then he shouldn’t have wandered into a boxing conversation with Gallen in the first place. Once he did he needs to back up what he started especially after talking himself up and firing broadsides at Gallen. Like Gallen or loathe him he backs up his mouth. . To quote Will Smith in Men In Black; “Don’t start nothin’ won’t be nothin’ “. . You can think what you want of me mate. As you don’t know anything about me it really doesn’t worry me at all.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Five million people have… or is that part of the conspiracy too…
The Barry
Roar Guru
Perfect…
The Barry
Roar Guru
Do you realise there’s thousands of doctors (not just a few) that aren’t aligned to any media organisation that don’t peddle any of that stuff? How do you know I haven’t looked into it? You choose to believe the “few” doctors and scientists that discredit COVID and vaccines. I choose to to believe the vast majority that don’t. Most doctors of them aren’t aligned to any media organisation. Doesn’t mean I haven’t looked into it… Anyway, put up or shut up. Please educate me. Post a link to any of the “lengthy studies” you’ve read… studies mind you, not YouTube channels…
Redcap
Roar Guru
I think that's called tempting fate.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Don’t pity me and my comprehension…you can’t even construct a coherent sentence
The Barry
Roar Guru
Hahaha… no, sorry Dum.bo Jones… you’re a long term carrier and spreader…
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
I couldn’t care less about boxing mate. I find it a brutal sport that should be banned along with UFC….my beef is with you insinuating Josh Aloiai is finding excuses to not fight Gallen coz he has no balls. My simple retort was that he has more balls than you ever will. You comment on people being afraid without having facts to back it up.
Nat
Roar Guru
Do you know what joining the dots and filling the gaps is called? Research champ. You don't even have confirmation bias because nothing you say has been confirmed by anyone of note anywhere. I would bet more money than you've seen in your life that you haven't even read the Pfizer charge documents. Just another headline you've tried to twist into some Covid conspiracy. You have no context of the charges or how the fine was calculated. Besides, this is just one company, you don't have an issue with the manufacturer, you have issue with the whole Covid situation. Just another uneducated stab in the dark from the uninformed.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Have fun with Delta. :laughing: