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
I guarantee you the squad as a whole is going into this preseason at a much higher base than they started 2025 preseason. Its laughable to think theyre not.
What developed over 2025 was movement patterns in defence, defensive structures and our style iof attack. We had none of this to start the season this year . The players go into preseaon building upon that. We had a bunch of guys entering the season with 0-5 first grade games under their belt including our 9 who had 0 and 1 who had 1. theyre now in the mid 20s. Last seaon we didnt even know who our starting pack would be or where guys would fit.
Youre so focused on the upside of the players we lost that youre not looking at how they fit into our side and are comparing them like for like with their replacement and saying its a net loss. Simonsson isn't as good a player as Lomax, but if you think Lomax was a complete winger who got everything right I don;'t know what to tell you.
We finished the year with Joash Papalii and Dean Hawkins playing a lot of 6 and the attack didn't skip a beat.
You still haven't accepted the fact that see those guys mentioned they aren't starting in the halves next year so again you have to establish new combinations.
You talk systems all you like the mentioned took all season for the performance you mention took place.Look again because we are starting again in 27 when Pezet leaves.
Your talking upside which is great but you obviously refuse to look at the other side of it.You want this to work but it's not changing at the flick of a switch you've got to rebuild everytime you change it doesn't just slide a new half in there as we saw with Joash and Hawkins and everything's well.You think there aren't going to be any growing pains on that side if you think that your dreaming.
As for Lomax not on the wing the combo with Moses worked well and established itself your kidding if you think Simonssons anything close to a replacement.System regardless don't worry though you hold onto the I have a dream and this thing is going to go seamlessly.
I mean it's not as though the other teams in the comp aren't working to get better and are going to find ways to combat what we do right this is going to be a smooth bed of roses here we could put a bum like Harper in the Ryles setup and he'd flourish right.Yeah right.
Mate if you think im talking upside youre the complete opposite.
Of course a halves combination takes time to gel. Every team in the comp takes time to gel.. its obiously quicker for established sides but the game is built on your ability to compete in the cycle for long periods of time. The start of last year we'd compete in 5 min batches and it grew through out the year to where we were pretty much matching it with most teams for 70 odd minutes.
I dont think you realise how far removed we are from that side that started last year. Pezet and Moses finding their game together over the season will be crucial but im not losing sleep over an incomplete winger. We will obviously miss his yardage work .. no Question.. a bigger issue is the depth in our roster without signing anyone but theres a lot of time between now and we start playing and none of us have seen whats happened there.
For all your love of Lomax's game you ocmpletly disregard his weaknesses . The blokes played in 2 finals games way back in 2018. Jarryd Hayne was in our side then. His sides havent made it back . Of course that depends on the strength of side hes in but hes not some talent elevator that decides the outcome of games. He played a role within the side and it'll need to be replaced. Come back to this mid year.
Incomplete winger who exactly are you replacing this with.
If Lomax is incomplete whats Simonsson or whoever else you replace him with ?
I'm dealing with what I see we are losing too many good players to think roses are red nothing to see here.I see the holes if you choose not see them good for you but that doesn't make the holes go away.
Again your burning years off of Moses career in the same breath though right there is that.
Positive things are happening they are but we are a long way from anything and I still don't see enough off the park to buy into what your seeing.
Everybody knew when Anasta said it on his show. So let's not make out you were the first to mention it. Second you all had the shit when the Eels were all over the news with what was happening internally, now you hear shit. It's all kept very quiet & here you are complaining that the CEO didn't know. Of coarse everyone knew, he was caught in New Zealand talking to a particular player. People here have all the conspiracies & assumptions.
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