Zac Lomax prepared for boos from Dragons fans as he returns to Wollongong in Eels colours
He was the golden point hero when he met the Dragons earlier this season, but Zac Lomax faces a new challenge when he returns to Wollongong in enemy colours, with the Eels star ready to embrace a hostile reception.
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Parramatta star Zac Lomax knows exactly what to expect as he prepares for a return to Wollongong this weekend. He also knows that the result is far more important than silencing any of the jeers that come his way.
“Oh, what do you think,” Lomax said when asked whether he expected to be booed by Dragons fans.
“That’s footy. I’m not the only person that’s been in this situation. I’m sure it will be weird. I’m sure I won’t get a real nice reception there, but that’s the way that it goes.
“They’re all my good mates down there and they’ll be some of my best mates forever you know.
“We have a job to do. I want to go down there and put in a good performance. It’s going to be a good test for us.”
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Lomax left the Dragons at the end of last season in a blaze of controversy and he had a game to remember when he played against his former club earlier this year.
On that occasion, Lomax stepped up and nailed a field goal in golden point to give the Eels a win over St George Illawarra.
That game was at CommBank Stadium, where Lomax has quickly become a fan favourite. He was once feted by Dragons fans as well at WIN Stadium but a move to the Eels changed that and there seems little doubt he will be in the eye of the storm on Saturday night.
Asked whether it would be emotional given it will mark the first time he has played at WIN Stadium in anything other than a Dragons jersey, Lomax said: “To be fair, I don’t even know. They’re in a very similar boat to us where they have to win.
“You completely try to take the emotion out of it because the emotion can affect your game I guess positively and negatively.”
The Eels will arrive in Wollongong with their spirits lifted after a big win over the Gold Coast, a result that gave them a buffer over the Titans at the foot of the ladder.
Lomax kicked six goals from as many attempts against the Titans, exorcising the demons from the second State of Origin game in Perth when his goal-kicking radar was awry.
Asked whether he felt any responsibility for the Blues defeat, Lomax replied: “Oh man, it’s easy to look at it that way because it’s two points.
“For me I pride myself on being a good goalkicker as well. So for me, it was not ideal. We’re in situations like that, that’s, that’s Origin.
“The thing is I probably couldn’t have struck them any better, they just stayed out. That’s the way that footy goes.”
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