This is Phil Gould at his dribbling best .
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'Might be getting paid somewhere else': Lomax Parra pay cut opens up 'Pandora's Box', says Phil Gould
By Sacha Mirzabegian - 2 hours ago
Phil Gould believes there's a problem with the contract situation of Zac Lomax as he prepares to leave the Dragons.
Zac Lomax's impending move to the Eels could have a wider impact on player deals in the NRL and the move should have salary cap implications for Parramatta and St George-Illawarra, says Bulldogs General Manager Phil Gould.
Lomax is reportedly set to be tabled a contract to join the Eels for the 2025 season and beyond after the 24-year-old was granted a release from the final two years of his Dragons contract last week when he expressed displeasure over shifting to the wing under new coach Shane Flanagan.
The Eels are the leading candidate to acquire his services next year, with Lomax reportedly willing to take a $200,000 pay cut to sign for the western Sydney club.
The last two years of his deal at the Dragons was worth a reported $850,000 and $875,000 but the contract proposed by the Eels is said to be in the $650,000 range.
Zac Lomax with Kyle Flanagan, son of new coach Shane, before a game this year. (Getty)
According to Gould, the cash that was supposed to be paid to Lomax by the Dragons, should not be struck off the salary cap for the merger club, because other teams were put at a disadvantage by the Dragons' willingness to pay him such a lucrative salary on a back-ended deal.
"They denied other clubs access to him because they paid him an extraordinary amount of money, and back-ending it, so they can walk away from the rest of that? What happens to the salary cap value?" Gould asked on Nine's 100 % Footy.
"How does the NRL accept he's going to play somewhere else for less? Whatever he doesn't get from his next club it should be included in the Dragons' salary cap."
The notion sparked an animated response from former Sharks skipper Paul Gallen, who labelled Gould's take "ridiculous" and also questioned why the club should be forced to eat the difference because the player didn't want to play out of position.
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Dragons coach Shane Flanagan fired up when pressed on the difference between Zac Lomax and Ben Hunt's release requests.
"It's either got to be 850 in the cap at Parramatta or 200 in the cap at St George because of the value of the player," Gould responded.
"They took him off the market at that value. They got the first two years cheaper and then the last two years they get let off.
"What I'm saying is Parramatta can't get away with signing him for cheaper."
When asked if he would take on the extra cost of signing Lomax if the Bulldogs were in the mix to sign him, Gould said: "No, but that's the contract he's on and that's the value.
"You open up a Pandora's Box where the player can walk out of one club and say I'm taking less, he might be getting paid somewhere else. It opens up to all sorts of perceptions."
Gallen reminded the former coach turned general manager about the legalities of the salary cap and how the league undertakes audits to make sure clubs don't go down that road.
"It doesn't mean it won't happen," Gould said.
Replies
Other clubs were denied access to TPJ when the Dogs signed him sooooo...
Pangai Jnr ring a bell Gussssyyyyy? U Kent!!!
Gould is upset that he missed out. I'd bet that generally salaries of topline players were inflated over the last few years as a result of adding in another team. It's just a result of the same number of elite players spread over more clubs - supply and demand economics, hence why his next contract will be brought back to normal.
Old pumpkin head is contradicting here from our end...
if dragons got him cheaper and are back ending his deal, what the hell has that got to do with Parra!?
we are signing him now Gooouuuld!
Know Gould would hate us to get some available talent (that dogs have missed out on for once) but his back ended deal has nothing to do with us or our cap.
give it a rest Gould you awful bloke!
Over the last 10 years Gus has said some of the dumbest shit never , This dope should worry about his own club rather than sticking his bent nose in other club's affairs .
Remember this is the same pig of a man who when dogs major sponsor wanted to offer players a percentage in pubs and hotels said the NRL should allow it 🤣🤣
Haha! The 'Dimension' is setting in or just likely he has totally biased shitty hatred problems
Dragons won't let him have a boxing fight. Parra will and that is where is extra money will come from.
Some people said the same when whighton left raiders for rabbits but it was justified as going from 5/8 salary to centre salary. Lomax was paid in potential fullback money but plays centre and now wing so drop in salary makes more sense then Whighton but watch the NRL get involved now.
Whighton will be in the halves this week or next.
It was always going to happen and South's are just going to use one of the many loopholes in the salary cap system
Gould buys everyone available and then some over last couple of years, including a faurly good handful of current rep players, and so far nobody bats an eye about the Dogs cap situation. I'd be laying low if I was Gus.
*fairly
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