AFL news: Jed Anderson yet to return to North Melbourne training after receiving just one vaccine dose

North Melbourne midfielder Jed Anderson is yet to return to pre-season because he has received only one dose of the Covid vaccine. As AFL clubs including the Kangaroos resumed training this week, Northern Territory-born Anderson remained in Darwin and was understood to be hesitant to have his second jab. Players who had been allowed to train interstate over Christmas needed to be double vaccinated by the weekend to reintegrate with their clubs. The Kangaroos had expected Anderson, who had his first shot in mid-December, to have his second dose before the deadline. Now they are working with him in the hope the 27-year-old will have his next jab and be able to come back to Arden St. In a statement, the Kangaroos said Anderson had not received his second vaccination dose “due to a poor reaction to his first”. “We will continue to work with Jed on next steps but in the short term he will remain in Darwin, where he will complete his training program,” the statement said. “Our club fully supports the AFL’s vaccination policy and in the interests of community health and safety, we urge everyone to receive their full course of vaccinations and booster shots. “The club will not be making any further statement at this time.” North Melbourne had about a dozen players missing from training on Monday because they were close contacts or isolating after contracting Covid. Aside from Anderson, the rest of the Kangaroos’ squad has had their two Covid vaccine doses. Under the AFL’s vaccination policy in Victoria, all players and football department staff needed to be double vaccinated by November 26, but Anderson was not beholden to that because he stayed in the NT to train and visit family. Carlton defender Liam Jones retired in November after refusing the Covid vaccine. Adelaide AFLW premiership player Deni Varnhagen was moved to the club’s inactive list that month because she did not want to get the jab. Ankle and calf injuries restricted Anderson to just seven games last season, taking his career tally to 85.