The New Zealand international has had the coronavirus, making him eligible for a four-month medical exemption from being vaccinated - which would allow him to play in both Queensland and Victoria.

It could cover Raiders games in Townsville and Redcliffe - against the North Queensland Cowboys and New Zealand Warriors respectively - unless the federal government changed the length of the exemption, having already reduced it from six months.

But the federal government has told The Canberra Times that any exemption would be honoured for whatever period it was granted for - rather than being reduced in line with any subsequent changes.

That means if Tapine applied for an exemption now it would be locked in for four months.

The Queensland and Victorian governments could also abolish their vaccine mandates.

Otherwise, Tapine could be forced to sit out the Raiders' other four games in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Melbourne.

He's yet to apply for an exemption and was still considering his options having had adverse reactions to vaccinations in the past.

Tapine said he hadn't set himself a deadline of when he would make a decision by and would continue to consider his options.

"No, I haven't done anything of that kind," he said.

"I'm just going with the flow at the moment and taking it day by day, and see what I'm going to do.

"I don't really know at the moment. I'm open minded. I'm just cautious at the same time. I'm just going day-by-day.

"It's just personal choice whether I want to or if I don't and I'll make the decision when I'm ready."

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Tapine starred for the Maori All Stars in the NRL All Stars game, taking out the Preston Campbell Medal as best on ground.

He'll prepare for his first hitout in lime green this week, with the Raiders travelling to the Central Coast to face the Manly Sea Eagles in their second-and-final pre-season trial on Friday night.

The 27-year-old will be a key cog in the Raiders forward pack this season.

It's shaping to be a versatile pack, with a number of players able to play either in the middle or on an edge.

Tapine was expecting the forwards to put the Green Machine on the front foot this season.

"There's heaps of competition in the middle - a lot of young boys coming through and Corey Horsburgh will be back from injury and he's a quality player," he said.

"We've got some good middles coming through and I think our middles will go well this year.

"There's heaps of depth. They can play back row and then back up in the middle, and they're quality players as well.

"The depth we've got we should be doing good this year."

NRL PRE-SEASON TRIAL

Friday: Canberra Raiders v Manly Sea Eagles at Gosford, 6pm.

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