Gold Coast Titans players Bryce Cartwright and Brian Kelly will play in rebooted NRL season

Titans star Bryce Cartwright will now be allowed to play in the rebooted NRL season, despite controversially refusing a flu vaccine – here’s why.

GOLD Coast Titans star Bryce Cartwright will now be allowed to play in the rebooted NRL season, despite controversially refusing a flu vaccine.

Queensland’s Chief Medical Officer Jeannette Young has signed off on an exemption for Cartwright on medical grounds, the Titans revealed to the Bulletin tonight.

However, fellow Titans player Brian Kelly has agreed to be vaccinated.

Gold Coast Titans star Bryce Cartwright. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

In a statement, the Titans said: “Brian Kelly has received both the influenza vaccine and pneumococcal vaccinations and returned to training today in preparation for the NRL competition restart on 28 May.”

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“Bryce Cartwright provided the Club with medical documentation seeking an exemption from the influenza vaccine protocol.”

The Titans said the documentation was passed on to Dr Young for review and “Dr Young has granted Cartwright an exemption based on medical grounds”.

Brian Kelly agreed to be vaccinated. Picture: Dave Hunt.

“Cartwright is now eligible to return to training with the playing squad in preparation for the season restart,” the statement read.

In recent days, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the NRL had to follow health advice and have players vaccinated.

“I agree with the Prime Minister, the health advice is they should have a flu injection,” she said.

On Tuesday, the Titans said the Queensland government’s insistence on players getting a flu shot if they were not eligible for an exemption on medical grounds was a “reasonable request”.

Foward Cartwright and centre Kelly were originally joined in their objections by hooker Nathan Peats, who received the flu shot last week.