West Coast star forward Jack Darling sought a medical exemption to the AFL’s mandatory vaccination policy in a bid to keep playing without having taken an approved vaccine for COVID-19.

The AFL rejected Darling’s application, which put forward personal medical grounds for not taking the government-approved COVID-19 vaccines and therefore allowing him to play.

His four-year contract reportedly worth $750,000 a season . Should he remain unvaccinated and unable to train or play with West Coast, he is certain to be placed on the inactive list, which would see him paid a quarter of the CBA base salary for the year. He has been training away from the club.

Darling’s mother-in-law Fran Braham was a key speaker at an anti-vax freedom rally in Kalgoorlie in November last year

Paddy Sweeney told Gareth Parker on 6PR Breakfast another star Eagle reluctant to get vaccinated – Tim Kelly – had had his first dose and would receive his second before tomorrow’s AFL deadline.

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