A high-stakes court spat over embattled NRL player Zac Lomax could mean Melbourne Storm end up with a hefty legal bill instead of the star on their team.
Four-time premiers Parramatta Eels have filed legal proceedings to stop their under-contract winger jumping ship to the Melbourne Storm.
The Eels initially released Lomax amid speculation he would move to the R360 rugby union competition.
When R360 postponed its launch, Lomax was left in limbo before eyeing a move to Melbourne.
The switch to the Storm for 2026 onwards has been reportedly valued at $1 million.
Melbourne had indemnified the State of Origin star and could be on the hook to cover his legal bill if the Eels emerge victorious in the case, the NSW Supreme Court heard during a brief hearing on Friday.
In December, Lomax's lawyer Ramy Qutami said the winger could play with the Storm, Perth Bears or Canberra Raiders, Parramatta's barrister Arthur Moses SC told the court.
Whether the Eels' withholding of consent to move to an NRL rival was reasonable or not depended on the conduct of both teams and Lomax, the barrister said.
The 26-year-old contends this contractual restriction cannot be enforced while Parramatta claims it is legal and valid.
Mr Moses argued the NRL player would need to be cross-examined in court and a two-day hearing set to begin on Thursday would not be sufficient.
Earlier on Friday, Lomax's barrister Adam Casselden SC pushed for the matter to be heard swiftly.
Justice Francois Kunc told the barrister to explain why there would be consequences for Lomax if the hearing was heard over a week from March 2 instead.
"You will have to do some work to persuade me why the world will end if we push this back to the start of March," he said.
This would mean the legal spat is held beyond the start of the NRL season, stymieing Lomax's chance to play in round one.
The parties will return to court on Monday to lock in the next steps.
Lomax, a three-cap Australian international who scored five tries in six Origin games for the Blues, only joined the Eels for the 2025 season after seeking a release from the final two seasons of his contract with the Dragons.
The NRL season kicks off on March 1 in Las Vegas, with the first Australian match on March 5 between the Storm and Eels.
Replies
Doesn't bother Parramatta if it goes into Round 1, means we don't verse him. That is their plan.
None of this Lomax stuff bothers the Eels playing group whatsoever. Literally nothing to do with them. This can drag out for years. Who cares.
That's my feeling too Mutts
is this saying that storm value Lomax as a $Million dollar player. If so that's the smoking gun on why Lomax still wanted a release from the Eels, knowing R360 was probably not getting off the ground. The Storm , were they their all along?
Amazing how more keeps coming. Now it's learnt that the Storm indemnified Lomax and are picking up the legal Bill. Wow does that go on the cap as surely that's a payment benefit in kind to Lomax to play for the Storm !
The NRL don't want to know any of this. Vlandy's worst nightmare is real, and surely would be forced to act.
Surely it goes on the cap if the storm are paying his legal bill, teams get hit on the cap for employing players family members or paying for accommodation, flights etc for players family members.
This is a shit show for the NRL. which they caused themselves by getting behind the storm push to sign lomax. V'Landy's should be fired for his role in this debacle.
For the record I don't think the eels come out on top in this, they won't get a player swap and lomax will end up at the storm with the eels getting some cash but also being on the receiving end of a vengeful V'Landy's.