Latest Rugby League News

Vaccination delay set to cost premiership parade for grand final hero

One Panther is yet to be vaccinated.

Published by
Scott Pryde

Penrith Panthers' hooker Apisai Koroisau is set to be rubbed out of the Panthers' premiership parade later this month.

It comes as the New South Wales government announced more changes to the path out of lockdown for both vaccinated and unvaccinated on Tuesday morning.

Instead of waiting until December 1 for the final raft of restrictions to be removed, vaccinated residents in the state will be able to move more freely again from Monday, November 8.

On the other hand, unvaccinated residents in New South Wales will be waiting until either December 15, or a 95 per cent vaccination rate, whichever comes first, to have the same freedoms applied to them.

While the Panthers are reportedly confident that Koroisau will be eventually fully vaccinated for the coronavirus, he is yet to do so and will not have done so in time for the premiership parade, according to a News Corp report.

That will see Koroisau, who was one of the Panthers' best throughout 2021, miss the opportunity to show off the premiership parade to fans of the club, who watched a first title since 2003.

It's understood the grand final parade is scheduled for November 20 - just under three weeks time.

The NRL are refusing to put a blanket ban in place over vaccinations, however, it has left clubs unsure of their position on players who refuse to vaccinate, given the likely issues caused by state borders next season for unvaccinated players.

It's understood a majority of the competition is now vaccinated, and clubs are in the process of talking to the handful of remaining players who are unvaccinated.

The Bulldogs and Sharks were previously leading the field, and it has been reported the Bulldogs now have all 30 players either vaccinated, or in the process of being so.

Published by
Scott Pryde