Papalii, Soliola and Tapine grateful for flu shot exemptions

It's why the Canberra Raiders enforcer opted to sign the waiver and didn't have the influenza vaccination.

Both Sia Soliola and Joe Tapine - with all three speaking about their reasons for the first time - had similar stories of suffering adverse reactions to injections in the past.

Flu shots became a massive drama when the NRL was looking to restart following the coronavirus shutdown.

The governing body rushed into an agreement with the Queensland government where all players required one to play or train in the banana state.

The Palaszczuk government relented slightly to also admit players who didn't have the flu injection on medical grounds.

Papalii said seeing his daughter go through a similar thing was the toughest thing to deal with.

"I've had a bad reaction to one as a young kid. I got hospitalised as a young kid after having a shot," he said.

"That was back in New Zealand. The doctors here know about that. Also my daughter had some dramas as well.

"I'm not advertising not to go and get it. That's just us."

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Tapine didn't want to go into too much detail, other than he'd also had a bad reaction in the past.

He said it was a stressful period when the drama erupted and he didn't know whether he'd be allowed to play or not.

But he was thankful to be given a medical exemption.

"I had a bad reaction in the past and our doctor signed me off on it," Tapine said.

"I'm glad Queensland allowed me to come play in their state. I didn't want any drama around anything.

"It was a tough time not knowing if I could play with the boys - that was the stressful part of it. But now it's all good."

Soliola only had to get a clearance for the preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.

He was out injured with a facial fracture when the Raiders went north to play the North Queensland Cowboys and the Gold Coast Titans earlier in the season.

The 34-year-old was thankful he was approved given how big the game was - with a win sending the Green Machine to the NRL grand final.

"I had an experience a few years back where my body didn't really respond to one dose and that's why I made the decision not to [get it]," Soliola said.

"I don't know if it could have been a bad dose or what.

"Very excited, very happy. I'm really appreciative of all the parties that made that happen because she's a big one."

NRL PRELIMINARY FINAL

Friday: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium, 7.50pm.