Lomax seen at Rugby HQ just 24 hours after Eels rejected Storm’s last-ditch approach

It’s looking more and more like Zac Lomax will spend his two years in NRL exile playing for Rugby Australia, with the serial contract breaker spotted leaving the governing body’s headquarters in Sydney just 24 hours after the Eels denied him one last chance to play for the Storm.

The unemployed rugby league star met with Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt and Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh on Wednesday, sitting down for a 30-minute meeting at Moore Park. Reports suggest no offer was tabled, but there’s an expectation from Lomax’s camp that something will come through eventually that would give him a path to the Wallabies.

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The contract rebel had spoken to the Western Force and the Brumbies in December, with the 26-year-old touring facilities for both and fielding actual offers, but he went after a Storm deal when he discovered the pay was $350,000 a year.

The Force and the Brumbies have this week said they’re still interested in signing Lomax, though it will likely be on around the same pay. Rugby Australia isn’t interested in any top-up pay to lure Lomax to the 15-man code, especially after they just re-signed Max Jorgensen on a five-year deal and brought Roosters second rower Angus Crichton over from the NRL (for 2027).

Lomax’s agent is also speedily speaking to other NRL clubs about potential landing spots.

The Eels are still open to letting him sign somewhere for ’26, should they get proper returns for him.

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The Storm had just offered the Eels one of either Josiah Pahulu or Lazarus Vaalepu in exchange for Lomax; Parramatta was quick to reject those ideas, especially because Pahulu and Vaalepu (both props) are relative unknowns. Between them, they account for just 33 NRL appearances. Neither is playing for the Storm in the NRL in round one.

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There were also discussions where the Storm would take Lomax and out-of-favour Eels forward Ryan Matterson in return for $750,000, but Matterson apparently rejected the idea of moving to Melbourne, and it fell through.

As it stands, Lomax is allowed to return to the NRL as a free agent in 2028 at the earliest.