Parramatta chief executive Jim Sarantinos has urged fans to keep backing the judgment of Jason Ryles after the Eels coach emerged as the key figure in the decision to sever ties with Zac Lomax.
The Eels confirmed on Sunday that they had agreed to release Lomax from the final three years of his contract, with the NSW and Australian winger expected to switch codes and eventually sign with rebel rugby union competition R360.
There have been whispers he will spend time in Japanese rugby before then. He has, however, likely played his last game in the NRL after the Eels decided they were better served spending their money on a player who was fully committed to the club. Ultimately, club bosses made the call in consultation with Ryles.
“He (Lomax) made it clear he wanted to pursue opportunities elsewhere,” Sarantinos said. “There’s obviously been that connection with R360. I really don’t know where that is at. I have no idea. “But he came forward to us and he asked if we would consider releasing him early. The main stakeholder in this is the coach. He’s been pretty decisive and strong around decisions he has made in regards to personnel.”
“I think the view was that if we have a player whose focus may be elsewhere and the opportunities came to exit that situation sooner rather than later, and it gives you an opportunity to strengthen your roster somewhere else, why not do that.”
“It’s not something we have been planning for the long term. But obviously we’ll look internally, we’ll look at who is available and we will look at the balance of the roster.”
Lomax’s departure is expected to strengthen the Eels’ bid to sign South Sydney and Kangaroos forward Keaon Koloamatangi, who came on the market on November 1. The Rabbitohs are fighting hard to keep Koloamatangi, but whispers are growing louder that he has had his head turned by Parramatta.
When asked whether he was surprised that Lomax had decided to leave, having fought so hard to get out of his deal at St George Illawarra to move to the Eels, Sarantinos said: “I don’t think you sign any player for four years and expect that 12 months into the contract they are going to be looking at other opportunities. Things change. When we signed Zac, Brad (Arthur) was coach. We probably didn’t expect that would be the situation. Now we have Rylesy in place and he’s been pretty clear with all the decisions he has made around personnel.”
It is understood that a transfer fee has been included as one of the conditions of Lomax’s release from his contract. The size of the release fee remains a closely guarded secret - this masthead was told it was a significant figure.
If Lomax is R360 bound, they will need to stump up plenty of cash to secure his signature for their inaugural competition in October next year.
Not that money appears to be an issue. Nor do the 10-year bans that have been threatened by the NRL for players who join the breakaway league.
They certainly don’t appear to have affected Lomax’s decision.
“I have no idea what R360’s strategy is,” Sarantinos said. “Are they looking to tear the NRL apart or are they looking to pick and choose NRL players. I don’t know how much of a deterrent the bans from the NRL will play. For some players it will be a major deterrent. For other players it may not matter.”
Replies
Commitment doesnt just mean competing on the field. Lomax had personal ambitions on and off the field. Theres no secret amongst the league he marches to the beat of his own drum.
He still wanted to play centre. Hes the only person in the rugby league world aside fom BA who views him as a cenre. Any coach with a brain can see his value is rucking the ball out of the back field and chasing kicks aka the job of a winger. Have a look at Lomax's performances once R360 came on the scene. His back end of year was hopeless. That to me is where the commitment comes in. Hes fine when hes interested but theres red flags all around him. Dragons had troubles with him... Flannagan couldnt get him to buy into the club at all but he had career best form on the field. He too couldnt wait to see the back of him. He wasnt too interested in defence. Wasnt interested in learning how to use his body to compete for kicks - especially ones where he was defending. Wanted to goal kick but did it poorly. His value to us was his strong carries and his competing on kick chase. And he was getting paid 700k to do that. I'm not sure how you think any of this is a player commited to the club?
Whatever the situation with Dylan is and however it can be spun.. the simple fact is he didn't live up to his contracrt extension . He was quoted multiple times as saying hes happy at Parramatta and it would take a ridiculous offer to get him out... but still , he opened himself up to a ridiculous offer . Good luck to him but in my opinion the club has done everything they can for him to put him in position to earn such a contract and the 6 years he had left here he used as secruity. Again, thats not full commitment and accountabilty to the club and your performance.
Its not to say either of these players are shit people or screwed the club over. I think theres been a fundamental shift in the type of player we want. The ambition and buy in we want them to have and Ryles is much more interested in what makes them tick than BA was. It will be much more selective recruitment but he knows the traits he wants in a player and he didnt stomp his feet to keep either of those blokes.
Im pretty sure the noise is coming from the BA recruits. Any one that has extended since Ryles came or been signed by Ryles has complete buy in. Matterson and Lomax are probably the last 2 he wants to clear out.
DB didn't open himself up to anything if Parra were strong enough in the front office like they seemingly are now there's no way those options are included that's the thing that has crushed that theory.Whomever is responsible for allowing DBs PA to negotiate an option every second year in his favour is the issue and now we had to get Pezet and then we are praying like hell these juniors coming are good enough to replace Brown that's the whole problem with this situation.
Its a club that wasn't strong enough around the negotiating table which is the real issue.
Lomax can have all the supposed issues he likes you can cut it anyway you like the fact that he's walking one year into a 4 year deal tells you again a club that's getting shit on yet again.
All this and your burning at least another 2 years of Moses prime.If he falls off the log or he decides fark this get me to a team where I can win at like Pops mentioned then what are you saying the same bout JR in the club if he doesn't want Parra let him go then what.
Thats the whole problem we aren't strong enough development wise or strong enough in the market place to replace that lost talent that's a bigger issue.Are we creating this ourselves why is this happening to us in a rebuild.
Our front office is no where near as strong as the best that's all that's on show here.
Hypothetical. Our wives or husbands tell us, "I want to explore a few sugar daddies over the next few years, or indefinitely". Which is strength of character: begging them to stay, chains, hypnosis or drawing a line in the sand & letting them go?
Reality bites hard. No one knows more about losing stars than the Panthers. You wouldn't describe Matt Cameron as a useless dope, because he couldn't convince this galaxy of stars to stay or because he follows Ivan Cleary's footy strategies.
Difference is , he has another bunch of young birds lined up to fuck and isn't out paying top dollar looking for hookers who haven't got a trick lined up.
LMAO
We don't care if they do have a trick lined up. Pezet has an All-night Greek Girlfriend exp in Brisbane booked but we flagged him down for some rest-stop car-meat action en route....sly dogs we are
No I wouldn't I'd call him a genius for understanding and building depth what you call the dopes here we give away our best and have fark all behind it.
The worst thing and the kick in the nuts again Cameron's a Parra guy yet he's farked off and jumped the fence and helped produce a god damn juggernaut that just got cut off at the pass from winning 5 premierships in a row.
Yet here we are listening to our knob of a ceo cutting his arse on the fence telling the world trust JR why would we believe a damn thing he has to say after watching the absolute circus being played out by the club he runs.Coaching search recruitment and retention fark me it's like listening and watching nails on a blackboard.That Parra front office on.it's best day is a decade behind what the best are doing and I could be being generous,
The subjectiveness hasn't changed Snotties perceptions of their abilities as players are very different to mine. One was picked to play Origin and for Australia (I believed he played the back end injured) and belies the end of season performances from Lomax by Snottie. He pulled out of the Australian side because of that injury.
Brown get's to play for NZ and wins the "golden boot" I was convinced Brown had burn't out in 2025 and stand by this opinion and rate his NZ form on the freshen up between the end of the season proper and the commencement of the Pacific Championships.
In no way am I supporting DB for his 2025 form for Parra, I don't believe what Ryles said about him not spitting the dummy. I believe he did and for reasons that I covered.
So the discussion has become circular where we can agree to disagree based on opinions.
A question I want answered is how do you see this year evolving for Parra based on the team we put on the field, given the players we have.
Another question would be that lets say RC360 flops and doesn't proceed, conditions for Lomax is he can only play for Parra within the confines of his initial 4 year deal.
Would anyone not want him back.....we assume the front office and coaching staff will because they would not have had that included in the exodus contract.
Opinions please!
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