The issue of player vaccination is set to come to a head again for the NRL with the Commission set to discuss the topic at an end of year meeting on Tuesday.
While the competition has refused to mandate COVID vaccination, the governing body is set to finalise protocols and rules surrounding players yet to get the jab.
The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio believes the main talking point will surround salaries of players that can’t complete their job due to their anti-vax stance.
“In the next 48 hours we’ll start to get some outcomes in the end of year Commission meeting,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“There’s everything involved in that, even right down to the hot topic of the moment in player transfers and whether they’ll introduce trade windows and any rules for next season.
“But of absolute importance will be how clubs tackle their salary cap when they’ve got a player that won’t take the vaccination.”
With the Melbourne Storm’s senior players set to return to training on Wednesday, Riccio believes the meeting will be of upmost importance to the Victorian club as star forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona still remains unvaccinated.
“That’s certainly the biggest talking point at the Melbourne Storm with Nelson Asofa Solomona,” Riccio said.
“The discussion at this point in time is that the NRL are looking at something like a 20 per cent reduction in salary if they have a player in that bracket.
“I think it’s heading toward a very, very tricky end for the Melbourne Storm.
“Nelson is due to begin his pre-season training on Wednesday, so as far as I’m aware and this was up until Saturday, Nelson hadn’t received his first jab.
“In Victoria under Government health orders there he can’t train with the team at AAMI Park or within a stadium precinct.
“The Storm have a major decision to make which is why we’ll see headlines today at the Bulldogs and the Melbourne Storm looking at a player swap with Luke Thompson.
“It’s a big, big, 48 hours for both the NRL on the vaccination front and the Melbourne Storm.”
Rules for unvaccinated players in New South Wales are set to ease on December 15 or when the eligible population reaches 95 per cent vaccination.