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.
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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.
It was more than just money that made R360 desirable for Lomax.
It was the 15 game season that meant his body would endure less wear and tear.
He still believes R360 will go ahead in 2028
This is why there needs to be better regulations and codes of conduct for Player Managers.
NRL players are young, they are trained to take risks and ignore their brain telling them to stop. Is it any wonder there are so many poor decisions made off field when we train them to make illogical self-damaging decisions on the field?
Lomax is great at football. From most evidence he doesn't seem to be traditionally "book smart". Yes, I'm politely calling Lomax dumb.
And now we're all surprised when a guy trained to take illogical risks and who isn't very smart sees a risky, close to 0% chance to make easy money takes it and then acts surprised when it doesn't work?
Lomax made a horrendously dumb decision based on terrible advice from an agent who clearly didn't have Lomaxs best interest at heart. To the agent this is a reasonable risk over return. Huge payoff for a low percentage play, but worst case you burn one player on your books. No biggie, plenty of others to hedge that bet.
For Lomax...this was a potentially career destroying move. And he seemed genuinely surprised that it failed and that he now has to live with the consequences.
Terrible advice from a scumbag of an agent that has potentially screwed a career. If we expect NRL players to make logical and smart financial decisions on weekdays whilst making risky and dangerous decisions on the field, we need to reset our expectations. I ain't getting SBW to do my maths homework.
NRL Agents need to be held to account for this crap. It seems to be a business full of grubs at the moment.
Captain, agents are a problem in the game as you suggest. And Lomax is only 26. Yet, the timeline suggests more responsibility might rest with Lomax.
The pattern points to Lomax positioning for R360 rather than a single forced misstep. I don’t buy that Gillis or Schifcofske of GS Sports Management pushed Lomax into a leap without a landing release.
Schifcofske cut ties with R360 once bans became imminent — advising players to get legal advice for R360 — removing any financial incentives for them to encourage that path.
My suggestion is they probably told Lomax to wait before jumping in consideration of bans and uncertainty.
My unsubstantiated theory is R360 provided Lomax with some carrots of "good-faith" and written documentation, which could have been financial in nature, prior to the release, to convince Lomax they are happening. To the extent, despite GS cutting ties with R360, and Lomax unemployed, he bought a $4m property shortly after.
Gillis has been around for 30 years and his Lomax is “good fella” defence, yesterday, reads more as character support than endorsement of decision-making.
02 Apr 24 — Lomax granted early release from Dragons contract (2025–26).
16 Apr 24 — Lomax signs four-year deal with Eels (2025–28).
30 Sep 25 — Anasta claims Lomax is R360-bound; suggests last Eels game played.
01 Oct 25 — V’landys warns R360-linked players risk their futures.
02 Oct 25 — Lomax denies R360 rumours; reaffirms Eels commitment.
15 Oct 25 — ARLC bans players/agents negotiating with R360 for 10 years.
16 Nov 25 — Lomax released by Eels under strict conditional agreement.
19 Nov 25 — Schifcofske cuts ties with R360 amid rule changes; advises Lomax to talk to lawyer
24 Nov 25 — Lomax buys $4m Barrack Point property.
29 Nov 25 — R360 delays launch from 2026 to 2028.
02 Dec 25 — Lomax explores Super Rugby; meets Western Force.
12 Dec 25 — Rugby Australia confirms interest in Lomax.
18 Dec 25 — Super Rugby offer to Lomax reported at ~$450k plus top-ups.
06 Jan 26 — Lomax seeks Storm move; requests unconditional release from Eels;
12 Jan 26 — R360 boss claims NRL players/agents approached them first.
13 Jan 26 — Hagipantelis says Eels legally strong; settlement likely.
15 Jan 26 — Eels insist Storm deal requires significant compensation.
16 Jan 26 — Gillies: Defends Lomax, framed as a "good fella" and victim of circumstances Saints, Eels, R360; Storm keen to sign.
16 Jan 26 — Reports Eels would accept Coates, Utoikamanu or Howarth.
16 Jan 26 — Cronk says Eels hold all power; compensation must be “juicy”.
17 Jan 26 — Sarantinos says Lomax exit request shocked club; release agreed in good faith.
18 Jan 26 — RLPA: Clubs must not pressure or horse-trade players; Lomax entitled to see out deal.
What's ryles contract who's replacing Bellamy
Nothing stopping Lomax joining the Storm's catering team to flip burgers on gamedays.
Apart from his $4 million dollar mortgage.
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