By Adam Pengilly and Billie Eder
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has made the first major move in the Zac Lomax sweepstakes, hosting the disgruntled Dragon at a family dinner before stepping up negotiations next week.
Lomax, who has been released from the final two years of his St George Illawarra contract, gave the strongest indication yet of his desire to join the Eels after meeting Arthur and his family at their western Sydney home on Wednesday night.
The Eels are yet to formally offer Lomax a deal – likely to be either three or four years – but will continue talks early next week after the Dragons finally agreed to multiple requests for a release from Lomax’s management.
On the same day St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan denied the club was guilty of double standards over its treatment of Lomax and captain Ben Hunt – who tried to leave the club last year – Arthur said he was impressed with Lomax as he looks to tie down his future beyond this year.
“I met with Zac at my home,” Arthur said. “We’ve got genuine interest and we want to bolster our squad. We always said we were short an outside back. He’s off contract for ’25.
“I was very impressed with him. He seems like a very mature young man who knows what he wants to get out of his life.
Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur and St George Illawarra Dragons centre Zac Lomax.Credit: Getty
“At the moment, out of respect for Zac who has a game [on Friday night], and out of respect for the Dragons, we didn’t want to talk too much more about it. We’ve had the meeting and we’ve got interest, and once he finishes his game we will talk further next week about it.”
Arthur and the Eels are expected to step up talks after Parramatta’s match against the Raiders in Canberra on Sunday night.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson ruled out making a play for Lomax, while Melbourne are admirers of the 24-year-old who, it is believed, would prefer to remain in Sydney.
Flanagan said the Dragons would not consider a player swap to release Lomax mid-season. His departure at the end of the year will free up $800,000 a year in the club’s spending budget from next season.
When questioned about the club’s rejection of Hunt’s release request last year compared to their actions with Lomax, Flanagan said, “It’s completely different.
“Ben’s got nothing to do with Zac Lomax. Ben wants to be here. Ben will see out his contract and might go further. Don’t confuse the issue with Ben and Zac. They are two completely different issues.
“We can’t have people who don’t want to be here. That’s the main point. We’ve worked hard to turn [Lomax] around, but it just hasn’t happened. We’ve got to move forward.”
Lomax has expressed his frustration with being moved to the wing for the Dragons this season, but his issues seemed to stem long before Flanagan’s arrival at the club.
He asked for a release from his Dragons contract in pre-season, one of several times he has formally requested to leave the club stretching back to the tenure of former coach Anthony Griffin.
“There will be stories going around that we’ve had arguments,” Flanagan said. “There’s been none of that. We’ve had a lot of good conversations around it. As you can see with his football, he’s happy to be here and he’s putting the effort in. That’s all we can ask.
“Zac has made a decision that he wants to leave the club. The club has made a decision to let him go from the last two years. It’s not the first time this has happened and it’s not going to be the last. Zac is here for the rest of the year and hopefully this is the last time we speak about.
“This is not news. I know you’ve got a job to do. This has been going on for weeks and weeks and weeks and all the people I talk to are sick of it - and so am I.”
The Roosters have ruled out making a move for Lomax despite star outside backs Joseph Manu and Joseph Suaali’i destined to take up rugby union deals in 2025.
“We’ve sort of got the centres that we want. We still need to add a couple of outside backs, but not in that price range,” Robinson said.
St George Illawarra are circling off-contract Panthers winger Sunia Turuva and Flanagan has met Wallaby star Jordan Petaia, who hasn’t ruled out a switch to the NRL.
Meanwhile, the Dragons announced prop Francis Molo has signed a two-year extension to remain the club until the end of 2026.
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