Storm chairman Matt Tripp took aim at Parramatta for what he saw as deliberately taking the dispute public, accusing the club of running to the media to control the narrative around the Zac Lomax saga. Tripp suggested the Eels chose headlines over resolution, portraying Lomax and Melbourne as acting in bad faith while ignoring the broader context — including the fact Parramatta would have gained adequate compensation for a player who had already vacated the club.
Tripp said Melbourne attempted to handle the matter quietly and professionally, offering compensation to avoid escalation, only for Parramatta to harden its stance and air the issue publicly. In his view, the decision to brief the media and frame the Storm as "villains" was unnecessary and misleading, turning a solvable contractual dispute into a drawn-out public fight that Parramatta itself helped inflame.
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It might be irrelevant if it's proven that Lomax and his agent gave false and misleading information to Parramatta in order to obtain the release in thew first place.
Yeah really hope so. But I don't think it would negate the actual offer, if it's not worded explicitly whst we would consider an 'adequate exchange' in deal. Know we used "football program" but not sure if that doesn't include cash to fund football program?
Id be extremely happy to be very wrong on that.
The trouble with their offier is that it doesn't replace a player we once had. We can't spend that on the salary cap, so it would go to football operations to spend. Our club is strong and we are not desperate enough to risk our squad for a few dollars. They can persuade all they like, but I can't see the courts looking at this in their favour.
That's the pot calling the kettle black.
Looks like he'd be better suited to a career in real estate.
Haha! Agreed! It's one area where we definitely out do them...our chairman's email definitely outdoes the dodgy bros sooky chat here! Bravo Beach! Can pick this blab to pieces if we'd like to for sure.
Let the cheats whinge all they like... it's simple give us a player of equal value. Money is useless unless it goes off the cap. Get that through or shit for brains head.
Well if it isn't the pot calling the kettle. I wonder what he may be doing by going to the NRL and media having a sook that PARRA aren't rolling over for them. Could it be grandstanding?🤔
This dope is a hypocrite by forgetting how they poached Ryles from the Rorters, or even how they wanted compensation for releasing JAC after the 2020 season.
He needs to learn how to read the room. Never have I seen every other club and their fans backing 1 club over another. I've had mates and family tell me they hope we come out winners in this, even those who cannot stand our club. Even everyone on this site is on the same page and backing the club.
Melbourne have never acted in good faith nor not been seen as the villains, and him declaring he spoke with Lomax before Christmas certainly won't help extinguish that view.
If Lomax does end up there, I hope he has the worst season of his career and doesnt get selected for Origin, I hope the 1st round streak ends and I hope Melbourne don't make the 8.
Wait, this is the same Matt Tripp that tried to BS his way out of cancelling a welcome to country ceremony at the Storm's Anzac Day game in 2025, after some far right goon made a fuss booing a ceremony? And we are supposed to think Tripp's decision was a "communication error" when one of the Storm's Directors was revealed to be a major donor to Advance Australia, the racist lobby group.
LoL, we have zero reason to believe a word coming out of Tripp's mouth.
What shocks me most about this is the journalistic integrity, or lack thereof. Tripp has 100% lied multiple times over in this "article".
How could a basic journalist not challenge the whole $1m salary cap statement which is wrong on multiple levels.
1. The Storm didn't assist us in releasing Lomax. They weren't even in the picture. He got a release for R360 and we were kind enough to grant it.
2. Any payment they make to us as a transfer fee is NOT additional on our cap. It's just money in the pile. And we have a decent pile. Cash won't help us win a premiership.
To not call out this complete lie isn't just bad journalism, it's just offering your platform as a propaganda mouthpiece.
Thankfully what Tripp says doesn't make any difference to anything, the Storm and Lomax are almost universally in the poo pile with basically everyone backing the Eels. And it'll be a court decision, not the public opinion, that decides this.
Still....what a wanker.
Couldnt agree more.
Pathetic stuff from Brent Read. The quality of mainstream NRL Journalism / coverage is at an all time low. Its sensationalist and click bait which we've understood for a long time how that works.. but how the same journalists now have a place on tv show panels and radio is very frustrating as a fan. He couldve really done some proper journalism there and pressed him on what he was saying but he just let him say whaever the hell he wanted and printed it.
I watched a game with a friend from Britain last season and the only thing Ennis did on call was slurp Nathan Cleary every time he opened his mouth . It got cringe worthy. Would love a revamp of the whole industry but we probably need someone other than Fox to have the rights for that to happen.
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