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AFL large Tim Watson says helium doesn't respect Liam Jones' determination to retire owed to the code's vaccination mandate.
Jones, who played 161 games betwixt the Bulldogs and Blues, was contracted for adjacent play and stood to gain astir fractional a cardinal dollars from Carlton, which helium volition present forfeit aft refusing to instrumentality the COVID-19 vaccination.
Jones' status comes aft the AFL made the determination to instrumentality a vaccination mandate for each players and staff.
"I anticipation that radical respect my determination and privateness – neither myself oregon my absorption squad volition beryllium making immoderate further remark connected the matter," Jones said successful a statement.
Several of the AFL's starring voices were speedy to respond to the situation, with Watson declaring the 30-year-old's determination was a disservice to the community.
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"I respect his privateness - I don't truly respect his determination due to the fact that determination are nary underlying aesculapian issues here," Watson told SEN.
"I don't adjacent respect that (his close to marque the decision) - we could each beryllium unvaxxed, but we each get vaxxed for a precise bully crushed due to the fact that we're trying to bash that close happening by each different arsenic a society.
"I privation him good successful life, I don't privation him immoderate harm successful immoderate way. But he's walked distant from a batch and you can't get it back. I anticipation helium understands what he's walking distant from astatine this signifier of his life."
Port Adelaide large Kane Cornes said Jones' status volition permission caller manager Michael Voss with a large headache.
Cornes said Jones had shown the quality to beryllium a "top-five backman" connected occasions.
"His operation with Jacob Weitering was truly important," Cornes said.
"At his champion Liam Jones, helium looked similar a top-five backman successful the game.
"At his worst, helium had immoderate moments wherever your benignant of shingle your caput and get a spot tense erstwhile helium has the footy successful his hands.
"Completely turned his vocation around. He was guardant astatine the Western Bulldogs, a flaky forward, past 1 crippled moved into defence - from determination helium carved retired a precise bully vocation for himself. One that astir apt had 3 to 4 years left.
"Carlton deliberation they're successful the premiership window... It's a immense stroke connected the field, peculiarly astatine this signifier wherever you don't person a batch of country to regenerate him."
Meanwhile, Nine AFL big Tony Jones questioned whether Jones' determination to opt against vaccination was exposing a privateness contented successful the game.
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"The past happening you privation to spot is idiosyncratic turning up with their container and their boots, lone to beryllium told you're not allowed entry," Jones told Nine's Today.
"From a supporter's constituent of view, if we arsenic supporters are being told you can't travel into the grounds unless your treble vaccinated, past I deliberation the onus is connected the players putting connected the amusement to bash likewise.
"Ninety-nine constituent 9 per cent of them present person fallen into enactment present on with the remainder of the community.
"The different happening is... is determination a privateness contented associated with this? There was a spot of conjecture past week erstwhile Liam Jones' sanction was revealed arsenic to whether helium deserved the close to that privacy. There are surely bully arguments connected some sides there.
"There mightiness beryllium different cases wrong the AFL ranks, whereby players are having akin issues astatine the infinitesimal - bash I get the vaccination oregon bash I enactment existent to my principles and not get the vaccination and truthful teardrop up my livelihood."
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