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Melbourne premiership star Tom McDonald is strongly against mandatory vaccinations for AFL players, saying the move would be ethically wrong. As the league finalises its vaccination policy, Richmond also have confirmed an AFLW player has tested positive to COVID-19. And Adelaide AFLW player Deni Varnhagen, who is a registered nurse, reportedly has told the Crows she is not willing to have a COVID-19 shot. The AFL is yet to finalise a vaccination policy but the Victorian government's requirement about a range of workers, including footballers, needing to be vaccinated or have a booking, came into effect last Friday. "I'm vaccinated and most players would have been, but ... it's ethically wrong to force people to (have) a medical procedure," McDonald said on Monday. The key forward said he supports mandatory jabs in sectors such as health and aged care - but not the AFL. "We're on track -- we would have gotten 90 per cent of the state -- and I don't see why we needed to cause such issues and division by forcing people in many jobs where it's probably not as necessary," he said. McDonald also would play against an unvaccinated opponent. "No issue at all - that's why you get vaccinated, to protect yourself. I don't understand why we need to force other players," he said. The Tigers confirmed an AFLW player had returned a positive result after a pre-training rapid antigen test on Saturday, with a subsequent PCR test also positive. As per AFLW protocols, Saturday's scheduled training session did not proceed. But as Richmond also trained last Thursday, all of their AFLW players and staff who attended that session are self-isolating and awaiting health department advice.
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