When Zac Lomax approached the Eels hierarchy in 2025 that he would like to depart the club only one year into a four year deal, it was clear the representative winger was going his own way.
Parramatta, while not exactly keen to release a marquee signing so soon after joining the club, have got a clear view of wanting players to be all in. There is no equivocating, no half-committing. In or out.
So with Lomax stating he wasn't exactly committed to the cause, the decision was made to grant him a conditional release. That condition of course being that the Eels retain his NRL contract and have veto power if he wishes to return to the NRL with another club before the completion of that contract.
Athletes, particularly in rugby league due to both the violent nature of the sport and its relatively small commercial market, have a limited opportunity to make money which their bodies will then pay for later.
CTE and the results of head impacts aside which are well documented and continue to be an issue, relatively young men who have entered rugby league retirement will deal with the results of their sport for the rest of their lives.
Taniela Tuiaki and Jharal Yow-Yeh will never run again. Even Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh has dealt with the results of his 330 game career, having a hip replacement before the age of 50.
So no one begrudges them wanting to make money.
But the Lomax case is a now a case study of how to blow up your career with one decision. R360 was, is and remains a pipe dream. No coaches, no clubs, no stadiums. A narrative pushed in the media with little substance.
It's the NFT of the sporting world.
Yet Lomax was advised by his manager that this was a good bet. That manager, Clinton Schifcofske, should honestly have his agent accreditation stripped following this. His advice was beyond reckless and he's left his client up a creek without a paddle.
While the Melbourne Storm willing to take on a player with this much baggage, it's clear the Eels aren't going to budge without a significant player transfer. And all credit to the Eels management for voicing that publicly to put pressure on the Storm.
It also seems the Lomax and his agent are ignorant to rugby league history. It's not the first time the Eels have played hardball with a player who has walked after signing a deal.
Jamie Lyon disappeared from the club in 2004, before fleeing to England where he spent 3 years to allow his contract to expire before returning to the NRL. I know this is an oversimpification of the Lyon saga, but the result was a 3 year stint in the cold north of England.
Yet Lyon was just 22 when he left. A 3 year overseas stint meant he returned at the peak of his playing powers.
Lomax is 26, turning 27 this year. If he were forced to sit out his contract or play overseas, it's likely he'd only return at the end of his professional career, well short of the money and acclaim he'd have achieved had he remained with the Eels.
Perhaps another parallel to be drawn is with another former Dragon in Gorden Tallis, who signed with the Broncos during Super League, but following the delay of the Super League season, chose to sit out the final year of his Dragons contract than play for the club.
Again, not a like-for-like, given Tallis had a contract with another club. But it goes to show again that ignoring what has happened to other players in the past means you can end up making the same mistake.
At the end of this saga. Whether Lomax ends up landing in Melbourne because the Storm cough up their own marquee player to the Eels, or he's forced to sit some or part of his contract, or he ends up returning to the blue and gold, Lomax has only damaged himself.
Parramatta has received the full support of the other 15 clubs not involved in this matter. The NRL would be incentivised to back Parramatta's stance given it's an NRL contract Lomax is seeking to break. Perhaps most interestingly has been the lack of visibility of the RLPA.
The RLPA has steadily resisted calls for intra-season transfer windows, arguing it hurts players. Well Lomax has just undermined all that by walking out on a long term contract before returning and then asking to switch states, all within a 3 month period.
Ultimately though, it seems regardless of the outcome, Lomax is set to earn less than he was at the Eels, while putting himself in a poor position for any future contract negotiations with other clubs, who would be hesitant to offer him a long-term, high money deal, knowing he's likely to up and move when the situation doesn't suit.
Replies
If it's total money it's all over. Is everyone here at peak or are some choosing life balance
I know it's money. Why do our good players choose money not premierships the latest news said we're a decent outfit. Do we have any players who arnt controlled by there manager's. I hope lomax is not allowed back it ruins the game .
Look at the panthers boys in TV ads on buses ,the memories and friendship bonds.
Doh! is that because they have won 4 premierships and been in the last 5 GFs. Inconsiderate bastards...how dare they!
I will say your point on Lomax coming back ruins the game, it can have that impact. If he comes back it shows every player the lengths you can go to get out of a deal. But why do our players chase money? Well some players either see no premiership with us or play the game for the money, no issue with being a mercinary offering your services to the highest bidder.
There are players who play as they love the game and adore it. Then there are some who play as they are good at it. Money is a motivator to some. Hell i would say nearly all players have money as the main motivator, that's life we all work for money.
LB, perceived fair value and expectations are important nuances.
If a player feels undervalued, grievance is inevitable.
If he’s overpaid, pressure intensifies.
And if he’s unhappy, money won’t fix it.
I don’t buy the idea elite players take huge unders consistently, these days, just because a club is the Roosters, Dogs, Storm, or Penrith. Clubs like the Roosters, Dogs, and Storm find ways to bridge the gap between NRL contract value on the cap and perceived worth— whether it's via unofficial third-parties (official TPAs aren't that much these days), career and future opportunities and security.
With Lomax, I genuinely believe the R360 move was viewed as an opportunity too good to pass up — likely in the range of $1m USD or more, say $4.5–5m AUD tax-free over three years (roughly $7.5–8m taxed). Lomax would have had the Eels lined up before seeking his Dragons release. My unsubstantiated theory why he agreed to a conditional release is because R360 provided good-faith carrots, assurances and some form of written documentation. He may have been over-confident, cocky and naive, but he wouldn’t have jumped without some perceived reasons to believe he had somewhere to land. That's just a suspicion, not a verified fact.
Lomax timeline
2 Apr 2024 — Released from Dragons deal (2025–26) ~800k p.a.
16 Apr 2024 — Signs with Eels (2025–28) ~700k p.a.
30 Sept 2025 — R360 rumours emerge (Anasta)
1 Oct 2025 — V’landys warns players re R360
2 Oct 2025 — Lomax denies R360 links
15 Oct 2025 — ARLC announces R360 bans
16 Nov 2025 — Lomax released from Eels (conditional)
19 Nov 2025 — Schifcofske cuts R360 ties
24 Nov 2025 — Lomax buys $4m property
29 Nov 2025 — R360 launch delayed to 2028
2 Dec 2025 — Explores Super Rugby (Force, Brumbies)
12 Dec 2025 — RA boss Waugh confirms interest
18 Dec 2025 — Super Rugby offer revealed (~$400–450k)
6 Jan 2026 — Seeks Storm release; Qutami enters; legal threats
12 Jan 2026 — R360 boss Tindell: “Players chased us”
15 Jan 2026 — NRL clubs slam Lomax “SBW-like” exit
15 Jan 2026 — Eels CEO: won’t roll over; demand exchange
16 Jan 2026 — Gillies suggests Lomax a victim of circumstances, R360, Saints and Eels; appeals to V’landys
The word i was given was that R360 was too good to pass up as you said HOE, he saw the money and wanted in. There is nothing wrong with that either.
He only saw the reflection of money
Maybe it's not the money just wrong contracts wrong people. Hopefully iongi and ryles r real
Ryles would be real, 100%.
He bought the McMansion before he had a secure contract. Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.
Financial pressure mounts day by day as he remains unemployed.
Not on the Eels. Not on the Storm.
On him.
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