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.
Replies
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 🤣
As much as I'd like Lomax to sit out from the nrl for the next 3 years (and he should) realistically that isn't happening. It isn't fair.
That is what this court case is all about, to determine what is fair. So it isn't 100% right or 100% wrong (or win or lose). The right outcome is somewhere in the middle and that is for the judge to decide.
I also don't think a player exchange is going to happen either, well not this year anyway. I'm not sure who the storm have off contract at the end of 2026 but that is probably a discussion worth having. It's not like we can expect to uphold the sanctity of written agreements and then expect one of their players to not abide by theirs.
I think there will be a few discussions held behind closed doors involving all three parties (the eels, the storm and the nrl) and some sort of deal will get done. Maybe Lomax has to sit it out just for this year and we benefit in some way going forward?
I don't think the eels want to keep Lomax out of the game they are open to sending him to any club who wants him. But the way the storm and Lomax acted trying to sneak around it, I doubt eels want to deal with Melbourne. Ryles seems like a man of principle and that was underhanded.
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