Canberra Raiders forward Joe Tapine is the only player involved in the upcoming NRL All Stars clash that remains unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Tapine has been named in the front row for the Maori side and will also be co-captain for the second straight year.
The 27-year-old told the Sydney Morning Herald he had not received the jab due to “reactions of past vaccinations”.
Despite receiving backlash for his views on the controversial vaccine, Tapine said he was not anti-anything but didn’t want to be forced to do something he was not comfortable doing.
“It’s a personal preference, I’ve had reactions to past vaccinations, and I’m a bit cautious at the moment,” Tapine said.
“That’s my stance. I’m not anti-anything. If you know me, with anything in my life I’ll look into everything first and make sure I’m 100 per cent about it before I make a decision. I didn’t feel like it [previous vaccinations] helped me. I’m on the fence at the moment.
“You get direct messages, people get up you, but you have to try and ignore it. People need to know other people have personal lives and there is stuff they don’t know about. You take it all in your stride.”
Despite already contracting COVID, Tapine is yet to receive a government exemption to delay being vaccinated for up to four months after he contracts the virus which would allow him to play NRL games in Queensland and Victoria.
It means the New Zealand international could be unavailable for the Raiders round two clash against the Cowboys in Townsville and their round eight match with the Warriors in Redcliffe.
“I’ll see what goes on and look at all the regulations,” Tapine said.
“At the end of the day, my wife and I will sit down and make a decision about what I want to do.
“I’ve had COVID already. I think that has natural immunity. I’m not scared of getting it, but I know it affects people that might have bad health, so I have to be careful of that. Sometimes people get scared of people who are unvaccinated, so I have to be aware of that as well.”
Cowboys skipper Jason Taumalolo and Melbourne enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona are two other players who are yet to receive an exemption, and until they do they are unable to play in their team states of Queensland and Victoria respectively.
Rapana at fullback
Meanwhile, fellow Canberra Raider Jordan Rapana has been named at fullback for the Maori side.
Rapana was one of few shining lights in the Raiders disappointing 2021 season and played his best footy when filling in for the injured Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback.
The 32-year-old scored 12 tries, had 138 tackle breaks and averaged 164 metres gained across 22 matches last year as he went on to claim the Mal Meninga Medal.
The Maori vs Indigenous All Stars clash is on Saturday night 12 February at Commbank Stadium in Sydney.
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