AFL vaccination news: Jack Darling’s future undecided after West Coast board meeting
Only weeks after his exit as Australian cricket coach, Justin Langer is in the middle of another controversy over West Coast player Jack Darling’s future.
The lawyer acting for North Melbourne player Jed Anderson and West Coast’s vaccine reluctant Jack Darling has defiantly claimed that the star Eagle hoped to return to play in the “near future”.
West Coast’s board met for about three hours on Wednesday night at Mineral Resources Park with no decision made on Darling’s future at the club.
Former Australian cricket coach Justin Langer and ex-State Treasurer Ben Wyatt, both board members, and deputy chair Paul Fitzpatrick were among those in attendance.
Langer described it as a “normal board meeting” as he left Lathlain but refused to answer questions on whether Darling’s future was a hot topic.
Fitzpatrick said he could not comment on the meeting.
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The Eagles have been adamant the next decision on Darling would be taken by the club’s administration.
It comes as North Melbourne’s Anderson, who had claimed an adverse reaction to his first vaccination dose, returned to training on Wednesday.
As he left Arden St, Anderson said his vaccination status was “for me personally and my family to look after”.
Lawyer Peter Kimpton, who has advised both Anderson and Darling, said: “Jack continues to be under a medical certificate that he has already disclosed back in January. He is hoping to return to play in the near future.”
Kimpton was referring to a statement made by Darling after the club had revealed in January he had not met the AFL’s first vaccination deadline.
In the statement the Eagles said: “Star West Coast Eagles forward Jack Darling has not adhered to the AFL’s COVID-19 training and playing mandates and therefore — under the AFL rules — he will be unable to attend the club’s facility at Mineral Resources Park and by extension any club training sessions”.
Later that day Darling set the scene for a potential legal battle with his own statement:
“The reason for my absence today was due to doctor’s orders. My club has been provided with a medical certificate,” it read.
“I have been diagnosed with suffering from a work-related injury and as a result, I am on sick leave until further notice. I will not go into any details as to my medical condition as I wish to keep that strictly private.
“I am doing my best to work with the club and my doctors so I can recover from my injury. I intend to return back to training as soon as I am fit and able.”
Guidelines issued by the AFL in October last year map out four clear courses of action for West Coast:
● Transfer him to the inactive player list (meaning he can be replaced) and pay him 25 per cent of the minimum base salary (about $110,000 per year).
● Keep him on their playing list (meaning he cannot be replaced) and pay him not less than 25 percent of the minimum base salary
● Terminate his contract with his agreement.
● Terminate his contract, but not before May 18.
Observers believe that the most likely outcome is a shift to the inactive list.
This would allow the club to add Luke Strnadica and Tyler Keitel to the playing list.
ANDERSON RETURNS, REMAINS COY ON VAXX STATUS
Glenn McFarlane and Tony Sheahan
Jed Anderson’s return to Arden St on Wednesday morning was the culmination of dozens of phone calls and almost daily contact from a number of senior North Melbourne officials.
As reports from Perth suggested West Coast has had limited contact with exiled premiership forward Jack Darling in recent weeks, it can be revealed the Kangaroos had been intent on keeping the lines of communication open with the vaccine-hesitant Anderson.
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The 28-year-old hard-nosed midfielder had been reluctant to take a second jab after suffering an adverse reaction to his first Covid vaccination in mid-December.
But the two-month doubts over Anderson’s AFL career were finally resolved on Wednesday when he was allowed back to Kangaroos’ training, clearing AFL Covid protocols just days after returning from Darwin.
A Kangaroos spokesperson said Anderson “had joined his teammates at training on Wednesday after complying with the AFL’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. The club will not be making any further comment at this time.”
Anderson’s compliance with the protocols comes only days after the protein-based Novavax vaccination became available in Australia.
All AFL and AFLW players are required to be double-vaccinated to train and play unless they have a medical exemption, with the prospect of a third-dose mandate still an option currently under discussion.
As he left Arden St after a light training run, Anderson said his vaccination status was “for me personally and my family to look after”, but did not wish to go into further detail.
“It’s exciting, it’s good to be welcomed back with a few handshakes,” he said
North Melbourne would not comment any further on Anderson’s return, with his lawyer Peter Kimpton also telling the Herald Sun he was unable to reveal his client’s vaccination status.
Kimpton said Anderson had had a medical certificate to remain in Darwin for the bulk of the pre-season, but was pleased to be back at the club.
“Jed did have an adverse reaction (in December), which was pericarditis (a swelling and irritation of the tissue surrounding the heart),” Kimpton said.
“He was under doctor’s orders up in Darwin for that, but he was able to return to training (on Wednesday).”
Among the Kangaroos officials who worked tirelessly on getting Anderson back to Melbourne – and to AFL football – were senior coach David Noble, chief executive Ben Amarfio, general manager of football performance Daniel McPherson, football operations manager and former teammate Jamie Macmillan, club doctor Kendall Brooks, the club’s Indigenous liaison officer Robbie Ahmat, and general manager of legal and strategy James Gallagher.
Anderson had a light run early on Wednesday and was “warmly welcomed” back to the club by his teammates.
He isn’t expected to play AFL football in the early weeks of the season as he works on building his match fitness base.
He had been training in Darwin on an individual program throughout the pre-season.
Anderson’s AFL future had been in limbo for months after the Herald Sun revealed in early January that he had not attended the Kangaroos’ first training run of 2022.
The club needed an answer on Anderson’s future with only two weeks until the AFL’s supplemental selection period (SSP) window closes.
The Kangaroos appear certain to add former Crow Tom Lynch with one selection, while ex-Demon Marty Hore had been training with the club in the hope of winning an extra SSP spot, if a position arose.
Noble had been considering playing Anderson in a defensive forward role this season, given the club’s young midfield strength and his memories of watching him as a young draftee hopeful in the NT.
Anderson’s return comes at a tipping point for Darling, who is the only listed AFL player yet to meet the AFL’s health and safety guidelines.
Darling is putting a $750,000 per season contract in jeopardy.
A West Coast board meeting on Wednesday will discuss the Darling dilemma, with the club desperate for an answer on his future and with the football department considering several positional switches to potentially cover his absence.
Kimpton, who also represents Darling, said: “Jack continues to be under a medical certificate that he has already disclosed back in January. He is hoping to return to play in the near future.”
Roo returns as vaccine standoff ends
Jed Anderson’s AFL exile is over after the hard-nosed North Melbourne midfielder returned to the club’s Arden St headquarters on Wednesday morning.
In a boost for the Kangaroos ahead of the 2022 season, the two-month standoff with Anderson over his vaccination status has finally been resolved as he now looks to revive his league career.
The 28-year-old was back at training with the Kangaroos on Wednesday for the first time since the end of last season.
A Kangaroos spokesperson said: “Jed Anderson has joined his teammates at training on Wednesday after complying with the AFL’s Covid-19 health and safety protocols.”
“The club will not be making any further comment at this time.”
Anderson’s compliance with AFL’s Covid protocols comes just days after the protein-based Novavax vaccination became available in Australia.
While North Melbourne stressed it would not comment any further – other than to say Anderson had compiled with all AFL protocols – there is no evidence to suggest he received a medical exemption.
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All AFL and AFLW players are required to be double-vaccinated to train and play, with the prospect of a third-dose mandate still an option currently under discussion.
Anderson’s AFL future had been in limbo for months after he was reluctant to get a second jab following an adverse reaction to his first dose in mid-December.
The Herald Sun revealed in mid-January that Anderson had missed the club’s first pre-season training session of 2022, due to the fact he had only one jab to that stage.
He had remained in Darwin throughout the summer working on an individual training program provided by the club.
He flew back to Melbourne on the weekend in the clearest possible indication he planned to take Novavax.
Kangaroos’ new general manager of football performance Daniel McPherson had been in constant contact with Anderson throughout the past few months.
Senior coach David Noble had also had several discussions with him.
The club needed an answer on Anderson’s future this week with only two weeks until the AFL’s supplemental selection period (SSP) window closes.
The Kangaroos appear certain to add former Crow Tom Lynch with one selection, while ex-Demon defender Marty Hore had been training with the club in the hope of winning an extra SSP spot if an extra position arose.
While North Melbourne will take on Melbourne in a practice match at Casey Fields on Thursday, the club will almost certainly give Anderson time to build his overall fitness base.
Club sources have suggested Anderson could take some time to get match-fit again, which would see him in a race against time to be ready for North Melbourne’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn.
He might start off in the VFL team before working his way back in the AFL side in the early stages of the season.
Noble had been considering playing Anderson in a defensive forward role this season, given the club’s young midfield strength and also his own memories of watching him as a young draftee hopeful in the NT before he was drafted to Hawthorn.
Anderson’s return to the game comes at a tipping point for West Coast’s Jack Darling, who has yet to have even one dose of a Covid vaccination.
Darling is putting a $750,000 per season contract in jeopardy with the Eagles running out of patience with their premiership forward.
A West Coast board meeting on Wednesday night will discuss the Darling dilemma, with the club desperate for an answer on his future and with the football department already considering positional switches to potentially cover his absence.
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