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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Eels have done everything correctly and have followed the contract stipulations. Storm can't leak or do anything because eels haven't done anything wrong. 🤣 if the shoe was on the other foot can be sure Melbourne would be doing the same
What a sooky little b*tch. Yea, give Parra a stick of chewed gum and an IOU while Storm get a Rep Quality winger. Piss off.
Quality reply 😆😆😆🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
that you wiz ?
Wiz would write bitch not b*tch :p
Even better take another player, being Matterson, for $300k.
Like someone saying "Hey can i have your $1.1 mil valued house? Here is $500k. Oh not enough? We will take out that big tree that is causing damage to the backyard for you as well".
I mean all well and good doing us a favour but doesn't help us losing Lomax for nothing.
"Ultimately, the rebel rugby competition’s start date was delayed, leaving Lomax without a club or contract for the 2026 season.Tripp defended Lomax, believing the star outside back was put between a rock and a hard place when R360 postponed their tournament."
Lomax was repeatedly warned by the NRL that R360 was flimsy and it would have been a stupid decision without more proof of a successful financial blueprint, and he also had legal advice, as well as his Managers guidance. With all that, Lomax took the risk, made his decision, and it did not pay off. There's no rock and hard place at all, dumb decisions have consequences and Lomax is accountable for his poor decision here.
Too right Clint!
He signed his terms of release well after we all knew R360 wasn't going ahead. He could've reneged on leaving and forced his contract with us whether we liked it or not . It really annoys me thst every media is framing it like poor Lomax was dudded by R360 not going ahead, (as is Tripp here) and implies we are restraining trade.
not the case and there are clauses which state he can move to rugby...tough if amount offered aren't what his previous contract amount was! He made the call!
Didn't Lomax get contract offers from the Waratahs, Reds, Western Force? There's no way he would have been without a job in rugby in 2026.
Exactly!
Yes 💯.
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