“You talk tough. Ten-year bans. Is that still how you stand?” Danny Weidler asked Peter V’landys on Nine, the day after Zac Lomax was conditionally released by the Parramatta Eels on 16 November 2025.
“Absolutely,” V’landys replied.
“I have to act in the best interests of the fans. If I don’t take swift action and protect the game, I shouldn’t be there.”
He didn’t stop there.
"I’ve got a very important position. I’m the custodian of the game."
"We’re the regulator, and what we say goes. And if it’s a ten-year ban, it’s a ten-year ban.”
That same day, V’landys took the message to 7NEWS. Different network. Same tone. Same authority.
“I feel very sorry for Zac,” he said. “He’s been very ill-advised.”
The hypothetical followed. If players signed with R360 and the venture collapsed, would they be allowed back into the NRL?
“No,” V’landys replied.
“If they go there open-eyed, take the gamble and take the risk, well you’re taking a massive risk with the NRL.”
There was talk of compassion. Exceptional circumstances. Being “totally hoodwinked.” But the underlying warning was unmistakable.
“Don’t gamble your future.”
“So you’re putting all NRL players on notice, essentially?” 7NEWS asked.
“Exactly,” he replied.
Stay Loyal
“Stay loyal. Stay loyal to the junior competition you came through. Stay loyal to the investment we’ve made in you.”
Across multiple networks in one day, the warnings could not have been louder. Players were on notice. The Big Boss had spoken, with a scent of Judge Dredd: I am the Law.
What nobody knew at the time was that one of the central figures in this soap opera, Zachary John Lomax, had already signed a contract with R360 before the Eels granted him a conditional release. That inconvenient fact sat quietly in the background while the warning sirens blared.
Image: V'ladys invited US President Trump, but didn't think to invite the Eels to the transparency table, remaining in radio silence recently.
Barely a month later, on 2 January 2026, the NRL announced tougher anti-tampering laws effective 1 February to protect the sanctity of registered contracts.
Once again, V’landys was decisive. Uncompromising. Public. Showing the NRL world exactly who is in charge.
What again was concealed from prying public eyes was that sometime after that, in January, Melbourne had already entered into a contractual arrangement with Lomax, uploaded it into the NRL portal, and awaited approval by V'landys, pending Parramatta’s consent. The issue is Parramatta already had its own registered NRL contract restraining Lomax from playing for another club last November months ago.
But V’landys and NRL HQ said nothing.
And when Parramatta announced it was commencing legal proceedings on contract sanctity to enforce its registered agreement with Lomax they also said nothing.
When persistent rumours emerged that V’landys was privately urging Parramatta to accept a settlement, there was still no public comment.
It was oddly out of character. But a pattern was emerging.
MIA
And when Supreme Court-ordered discoveries forced some facts into the open, things are starting to unravel.
Eels barrister Arthur Moses SC noted the documents produced under subpoena showed two things. Lomax had "entered into a provisional contract with R360" before being conditionally released from the Eels. And also Lomax and the Storm had entered into a "contract" that was placed on the NRL portal ready for V'landys to rubber stamp its approval. That was despite the Eels also having a registered contract with Lomax.
But V'landys and HQ's silence only deepened.
The cracks were on clear public display and bravado replaced by a deathly silence. One wonders what HQ sounds like behind closed doors.
Parramatta had followed the system exactly as designed. Its restraint agreement was clear, written, conditional, legally advised, and registered with the NRL. The club also made clear it would be reasonable and release Lomax if fairly compensated via a player swap.
NRL HQ, however, remains silent. For now.
No clarification.
No public backing.
No defence of the very mechanisms it had approved.
Silence on Lomax, his R360 contract and ten-year bans.
Silence on the Storm contract, contract sanctity or anti-tampering.
Silence on the integrity questions raised by it all.
The contrast between what was said, what was done, and what was not said and not done is difficult to ignore. And it stinks.
Peter V’landys said he was the custodian of the game. But when the game desperately needed one to stand tall and walk the talk, he was nowhere to be found.
Replies
Great summary, right there. So what happens next. What do the NRL do, what does Lomax do, What do Melbourne do. What will be the Eels next move, will they sit and wait for clubs to come calling bearing player gifts, and does this go to court on the 12th or the matter gets expanded and related for 6months time. Has anybody heard what has happened to Clinton Schicovski, just fallen into a hole with his partner taking over the public managing of Lomax. Does V'Landys stick to the new Ryles and imposes sanctions , does the integrity commission investigate its own boss .mmmm So so many more things to happen in this saga.
Just an update. The Eels and Lomax were in court again this afternoon and it now appears the matter may not proceed on the 12th. There is another listing on Monday to work it out, with the ball basically in Lomax s court. Chances are the matter will have to be deferred to March with Justice Konc advising the parties not to split up the hearings . Ie Eels validation of contract and Lomaxs cross with restraint of trade.
Excellent...we aren't the ones under time pressure
This is interesting, and to be honest the NRL has been a mess for years waiting for just this sort of thing to happen. When it appears that corruption is ripe yet the administration turns a blind eye, there are serious concerns. I'm so glad Parra have maintained their integrity in all this and have held other parties to those same standards. That is the making of our club, and will set the tone for how we will operate for many years ahead. Will the NRL and other clubs follow suit?
People have asked for years what does Parra stand for. Without a doubt the answer is INTEGRITY.
It's only "been a mess" if you aren't in vlandys in-group. This was going to go well for Melbourne until Beach and Jim.S decided to throw sand in their gears
The roosters fielding a team millions over the cap every season for the last 20 years was enough cracks for me 🤣 nrl is poorly run
Nice piece Bert. It needs more eyes on it. He would claim his hands have been tied by lawyers but I'm not buying it.
Super, do you have advice on optimizing titles for search?
Love it bert !!!!
so true - no back up at all ..... which silently says
we still aim to protect the " protected species " in the game and the self sufficient stand alone
it reminds me of a family and the adult who is responsible , achieves success through hard work and has a good network ( Parra) gets nothing yet the black sheep or the narc gets all the help in the family .