NRL 2024: The Dragons pathways players shaping as the biggest winners from Zac Lomax’s exit

Melbourne Storm don’t let too many good ones go, but a Victorian junior is leading the charge for the Dragons backline spot set to be opened up by Zac Lomax’s departure.

Lomax replacement.

As St George Illawarra star Zac Lomax meets with Parramatta over his future, the Dragons are preparing for life without the local junior.

Lomax’s departure will beef-up the Red V’s coffers to the tune of $1.6 million but coach Shane Flanagan won’t have to look too far to replace the Illawarra Steelers product in 2025.

Flanagan will consider going to the market to shore up outside back stocks but the coach already has a stable of rising prospects at his fingertips.

“We have some good young kids coming through in our reserve grade and SG Ball side,” Flanagan said.

“It’s something we have invested a lot of money in, our juniors. We’ll look there before we look anywhere else.”

One player, NSW Cup centre Savelio Tamale, is turning heads at the club.

In the mould of Lomax, Tamale is athletic, powerful and already has a physique that would be the envy of any outside back in the NRL.

But Tamale, who is unsigned in 2025, isn’t alone.

Kyle Stanley, head of pathway for the St George Dragons, believes the likes of X-factor talent Jesse Williams and David Afu are also making all the right moves.

The St George SG Ball (under-19s) juniors are on track to earn an NRL pre-season in the summer.

Savelio Tamale (R) is shaping as a ready-made replacement for Zac Lomax.

“I think it’s definitely a realistic goal for a lot of them. For players like Jesse and David, if they keep producing good football that opportunity will come. They have been brilliant for us in SG Ball and it’s something they are definitely working towards this year,” Stanley said.

“We don’t have the biggest nursery (in St George), so we’ve had to be clever with our recruitment but a lot of our SG Ball players have been in our system for at least three years, it’s a by-product of what we are trying to build in the St George region.”

While Lomax has been released from the final two years of his deal, centre Jack Bird has a mutual option for 2025.

Moses Suli signed until 2027 and winger Mikaele Ravalawa until 2026. Fullback Tyrell Sloan is still without a deal for next year. Depth players Mathew and Max Feagai are unlikely to be retained beyond 2024 and Christian Tuipulotu is contracted until 2025.

As Flanagan plans beyond Lomax, and rebuilds his outside backs stocks, we take a look at the rising Red V players shaping as key to the coach’s rebuild into the future.

Originally published as NRL 2024: The Dragons pathways players shaping as the biggest winners from Zac Lomax’s exit