John Asiata has become the first NRL player to walk away from the competition due to his stance on vaccinations with Canterbury agreeing to part ways with him.
Canterbury have parted ways with forward John Asiata after the 28-year-old’s one-year contract was torn up by the NRL club for refusing to be vaccinated.
Asiata signed with the Bulldogs for the 2022 season after a stint with the Brisbane Broncos, but was handed a termination notice last month with the club requiring all players to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The NRL does not have a mandate in place for players to be fully vaccinated unlike the AFL, but Canterbury have been firm on their stance.
“The Bulldogs and John Asiata have agreed to part ways by mutual consent,” the club said in a statement.
“Asiata signed with the club this season but had yet to train with the squad.
“The Bulldogs wish John and his family all the best for the future.”
Rugby League Players Association CEO Clint Newton said they’d continue to support Asiata and all players in the current circumstances.
“Over the past few months the RLPA have worked proactively with clubs, including Canterbury, to work through some of the issues associated with this space,” he told AAP.
“Particularly developing a framework that ultimately provides a decision making process and the best options to help guide what we’d like to think, given the circumstances, positive outcomes for players and clubs.
“We’ll obviously continue to support John, all players and their respective families. Particularly in John’s situation where he focuses on what’s next for him and his family.”
Canterbury football manager Phil Gould said last month he was “hoping” Asiata would change his mind but would explore other options should he decide not to roll up his sleeves.
The NRL estimated last month around 20-24 players were yet to be vaccinated.
CEO Andrew Abdo was forced to defend the governing body’s policy, saying he didn’t think there was “anything soft” about their rules.
“We want people to have the freedom of choice, which I think is important,” Abdo said.
“But we are putting health at the forefront of our policy which is why we believe in vaccination, we want everyone to get vaccinated.”
Asiata played 139 NRL games, mainly with the North Queensland Cowboys where he won a premiership in 2015.
The 28-year-old signed with the Broncos in 2021 but only managed 10 games for the club.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
Mushi don't use words like "disingenuous" - you know he'll have no idea what it means, plus it's got 3 more syllables in it than what he's used to
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
anyone who works in mining MUST be vaccinated. No one is FORCING us to be vaccinated. if I CHOOSE not to be vaccinated then I will not be allowed to work in mining, and thus no longer work in that field. if it was my CHOICE not to be vaccinated, i will then look for another job - simple.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
Otsuble -they're the second one mate
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
Abdo has done the right thing and made it between the clubs and the players and not the NRL & players.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
hey Duncan, in case you were not aware - covid kills the unvaccinated. https://www.sorryantivaxxer.com/
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
if these players don't want to get the jab and can only play for 8-10 games a year - their contract should reflect that. So nelson will play for $50k/year?
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
why do people continue to say that a footballer can only get a job playing football. As a tradesman I can get a job as a storeman, or an uber driver, my only choice is not to work only in my trade. Asiata has a choice to get a job doing something else, last i heard was on construction – and with that there are also rules – hard hat, ppe, harness if working at heights etc – all mandatory for his safety, and depending the site forced Union membership otherwise – no ticket we walk – brothers
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
SOC and we can add to the list - no self rescuer, no PPE, the list goes on for working underground. we all wear it as they are mandatory and each one is there for our own protection
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
freedom of choice does not mean mandatory vaccinations. He has chosen not to be vaccinated and no one is forcing him to be
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
Ray Hadley tells people what Ray Hadley thinks, he doesn't give a toss about what others think
Otsuble
Roar Rookie
So less than 1%? Sounds about right. The vast majority of people understand the need to get on top of this. But then you have the Duncans and Jackos who just don’t get it.
Otsuble
Roar Rookie
You obviously haven’t. And by the way it’s a bit worse than the flu. But don’t let that bother you. Remain uninformed. It’s what you are good at.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
So just like the Flu!!! Oh and thanks for responding to 20 of my posts. Im not bothering to respond tho. Its old hat and we have all moved on.
matth
Roar Guru
Yep it will be case by case for sure. We have actually mandated in some states but not others
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
They would have to undertake a thorough risk assessment process and identify significant risk to employees to change a persons terms of employment. We've just done it at my workplace. 500 employees and 4 unvaccinated and we will not be mandating vaccination for staff beyond next week (in NSW where restrictions change) because the legal advice is that the risk of successful litigation for terminating those 4 employees is pretty high
matth
Roar Guru
Maybe because your minority puts others potentially at risk f contracting a disease that’s killed more than a million people in two years. If you are the minority that likes anchovies, then good luck to you.
matth
Roar Guru
I don’t want to stop looking at my mobile but I still want to drive. Should I be allowed or should I be told that I am free to look at my phone but there will be consequences if I get in a car?
matth
Roar Guru
Certain sensible restrictions must be place on individual freedoms to have a functioning society. Otherwise your local GP’s ‘freedom’ to hold you down and inject you would be just as legitimate as your ‘freedom’ not not be vaccinated. The notion that any human has or should have complete freedom is a fallacy.
Dandragon
Roar Rookie
You can’t reason with ‘unreasonable’ when it prides itself on conspiratorial garbage that actively rejects every single scientific finding without a shred of scientific evidence to back up its own argumentative nonsense. A credible source would be helpful. YouTube doesn’t quite qualify.
matth
Roar Guru
I want to live in a society where the guy beside me isn’t a maskless unvaccinated dude coughing on me. It’s the same as the right I want not to breath in poisonous smoke in a restaurant, or have my next door neighbor dump toxic waste over my fence. It’s my right not to be injured at work by someone who turned up drunk. Your right to freedom does not extend to inhibiting others’ rights to safety and enjoyment of their lives. It’s why you can’t buy a gun at a supermarket and have the freedom to randomly shoot it up a street.