From The Sydney Morning Herald...
Melbourne’s pursuit of Zac Lomax could prove more costly than expected if the NRL deems the club’s promise to cover the exiled winger’s legal bills should be included in the Storm’s salary cap.
Parramatta began legal proceedings to prevent Lomax from joining the Storm, given his release from a four-year contract was contingent on the Eels providing written consent. The Blues winger was granted a release to join rebel rugby competition R360, but has been left in limbo after its inaugural season was put back until 2028.
Lomax’s hopes of making his Melbourne debut against former club Parramatta in the opening round have been thwarted after his court hearing was scheduled to end a day after the AAMI Park clash.
According to court documents made available last week, the Eels claim the Storm indemnified Lomax’s court expenses.
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He will fight for the vacant Port Kembla Heavyweight title and make a motza in pay-per-veiw...because everyone hates him now and watching him take some head-shots would be cathartic....villans get paid.
There is no way the weasels at the NRL will do anything to the Scums cap.
Still, very proud of Beach, Jim and the team. We haven't had a backbone still Fitzgerald.
Same, Kurupt. Whatever the outcome, Jim, Beach, Ryles and the club stood united and stood their ground when they were meant to roll over for the Storm and PLV, discreetly. Moses SC has also been brilliant.
Wouldn't shock me if storm come to the table at the 11th hour with Howarth and the transfer fee. No way in hell they win this in court
I know i have said it before but Storm fans say we are being unreasonable and see no outcome in which we win this case. Despite all the released, that is still the belief. I believe in bias and backing your team but come on.
But i do not think they let Howarth go, they are slim on backs as it is without Coates, why let a Centre go too?
I can see them offering a middle like Alec MacDonald or someone like that.
If you look at it from a player for player deal, would you rather Lomax or Howarth if you are the Storm but ? I just don't see any way legally the storm can force the eels to hand them Lomax 🤣 either way don't really care what storm end up doing but we aren't budging
LB, Eli, good stuff gents. We've acted in good-faith. By the book. With clean hands. Lomax appears not to. Still, equity is not unlikely to view an NRL-wide 3-year restraint until 31Oct 28' as overly-punitive and read it down.
We'd still win, technically, legally. And morally in the eyes of the rugby league community. And I'm proud of our club, regardless of the outcome.
I'm also wondering in the case of a read down, whether there is an avenue to appeal it in higher courts? One for the lawyers, and a wait-and-see.
Hopefully, we get a player swap, though that's a tricky one with a lot of moving parts to align.
The Storm don't seem to have an appetite for it nor a fair win-win. We've seen what court discovery shows in relation to their owner and CEO's conduct. And remember they refused to release JAC (2019-21) without a player swap. He was stuck until his contract expired. Now they flip-flop the other way. Let's not hold our breath there. And forget about HQ. We know where they sit. They want Lomax playing as soon as possible (we'd need to lose for that). They've made Gallop look like a saint with his handling of SBW who walked out to a sanctioned RU competition, as he held his ground for contract sanctity and fair play over pure commerical interests. There don't seem to be many bona-fide swap deals, historically. Maybe a club might come to the party. If we get it done, we're miracle workers.
He was provided all the legal advice before signing the release and understood the stipulations. Just because R360 didn't eventuate doesn't mean he can force his way out of it lol. Spoilt brat defence is not going to work for Lomax or the storm 🤣
The best thing for the Eels is if we say nothing our position is clear we only have to come back to the table if Melbourne come with something we see as advantageous for us that really is the bottom line.
Best thing about this there the ones doing all the talking trying to drum up sympathy for the situation.Dragging the nrl into this when they have zero business being there.We have a signed and sealed document.Melbourne the court of public opinion can say what they like as above as long as we have that good luck trying to get themselves out from under that one.For me all the rest are sermantics all we have to prove is that Lomax was mentally competent at the date of signing and all the rest is all the rest after that.
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