Blowtorch put on Matt Dufty as Zac Lomax looks to become No.1

Brad Fittler once labelled Zac Lomax “the gifted one”. And now the young gun has grabbed hold of St George Illawarra’s No 1 jumper, don’t expect Lomax will want to hand it back to Matt Dufty anytime soon.

Zac Lomax will be looking to cement the Dragons fullback role. Picture: Ian Hitchcock

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Brad Fittler once labelled Zac Lomax “the gifted one”.

And now the young gun has grabbed hold of St George Illawarra’s No 1 jumper, don’t expect Lomax will want to hand it back to Matt Dufty anytime soon.

The Dragons’ month from hell has delivered Lomax the perfect chance to show Paul McGregor why he can be the club’s long term solution at fullback.

Zac Lomax will be looking to cement the Dragons fullback role. Picture: Ian Hitchcock

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But what Lomax’s positional shift could ultimately mean to Dufty’s NRL career is now up in the air.

Lomax, 19, has never made any secret of the fact fullback is his preferred position, but he was always prepared to bide his time at centre or on the wing to find his feet in the NRL.

But the opportunity to run out wearing the No 1 jumper against arch rivals Cronulla on Sunday has come sooner than expected after the Dragons’ run of four straight losses, and Dufty’s drop in form.

McGregor was left with no choice but to make changes following last Sunday’s disastrous 45-12 loss to Newcastle.

Lomax’s promotion has put a question mark on the future of Matt Dufty. Picture: Mark Metcalfe

Along with dropping Dufty, McGregor has brought in the talented Jonus Pearson for Fijian winger Mikaele Ravalawa, while reinstating Euan Aitken at right centre to allow for Lomax’s move to the custodian role.

Aitken is sure to also have plenty of motivation to again stake his claim to remain in the starting side, while there is also pressure on Jai Field to perform with Corey Norman expected to return from injury in the Dragons’ next game against the Bulldogs in round 13 after the bye.

What it means for McGregor is that there is finally some strong competition for positions after a rotten run of injuries and suspensions this year.

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While the Dragons are privately mindful of not putting too much expectation on Lomax to fire at fullback first up, you can’t help but see some similarities in relation to Lomax’s build and athleticism that resembles a young Tom Trbojevic.

While Trbojevic stands at 194cm and weighs 102kg, Lomax is 190cm and 94kg, but is three years younger than the 22-year-old Manly star.

The Dragons see both Lomax and Dufty as a big part of the club’s future but only one can play fullback.

Given Lomax stated before the season his ambition was to ultimately move to fullback, you can bet he’ll be motivated to give it everything he has.

Dufty signed a contract extension earlier this year that will keep him at the Dragons until the end of 2021.

But his size and specific skill-set would make it difficult for him to play any other position at NRL level.

Lomax is off contract at the end of next season and will be free to negotiate with rival clubs come November 1 unless the club locks him up early.

At the start of the year Lomax wouldn’t have given himself a hope of playing fullback in 2019 with skipper Gareth Widdop the first choice ahead of Norman and Dufty.

But in tough times, sometimes opportunity presents itself. Sunday in Wollongong against the Sharks is Lomax’s chance to grab hold of his dream.

Originally published as Blowtorch put on Matt Dufty as Zac Lomax looks to become No.1