Mitchell Moses and Zac Lomax break silence on Jason Ryles’s Parramatta Eels appointment

Zac Lomax has given the strongest indication yet that he’ll be at Parramatta in 2025 after vision emerged of the NSW winger deep in conversation with his future halfback in Blues camp.

NSW winger Zac Lomax has given the strongest indication yet that he’ll be at Parramatta in 2025, as Mitchell Moses pledged to carve out time from Blues camp to ring new Eels coach Jason Ryles.

Ryles, a consultant at Melbourne, will take the reins at the Eels next season on a four-year deal.

It comes amid speculation that Lomax is suffering a bout of ‘buyer’s remorse’, and rumours the in-form Dragons star could backflip on his four-year agreement to join the Eels.

But Lomax did his best to shut down that talk on Monday, in a development that will no doubt sting the Red-V faithful, who had hoped the 23-year-old would have a change of heart.

“The Eels appointed him (Ryles), and they are confident in their decision. He’s got the runs on the board, he’s been in some winning systems. It’s positive signs, I’m looking forward to the Eels,” Lomax said.

“I haven’t had too much to do with Rylesy, he was part of the coaching staff when I was in the Junior Roos system.

“To be honest, I don’t want to talk on it too much, I’ve signed a four-year deal there.

Mitch Moses and Zac Lomax in Blues camp.

“But mate for me to talk on it right now, while I’m in camp… I don’t want anything to take away the spotlight from what we are trying to achieve here at Origin.”

Former Eels coach Brad Arthur played a crucial role in helping to deliver Lomax to Parramatta, and his axing sparked reports about uncertainty over the deal.

The Eels’ slide down the ladder in 2024 has only added fuel to the fire, as the Dragons, under Shane Flanagan, find themselves in the finals hunt.

Lomax and Moses were spotted having a chat during Monday’s Blues media session only hours after getting off the phone with Parramatta officials, who broke the news of Ryles’ appointment to the duo.

The Blues No.7 was coy about the nature of the discussion but is confident Lomax, who has been a standout for NSW, will be in the blue and gold of Parramatta in 2025.

Blues halfback Mitchell Moses enters NSW camp with golf clubs in hand. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“He’s been playing some great footy, from all the headlines that have been around him all year, he had every right to throw it in and not perform but he’s been their best player,” Moses said.

“It’s a credit to him, he’s put himself in this arena. Hopefully he can continue to do that next year for us.”

While the first priority for Moses this week is to plot the demise of Queensland in next Wednesday’s decider at Suncorp Stadium, the halfback, who was man of the match in Origin II at the MCG, is planning to ring the new coach.

“I’ve heard great things about Rylesy so I’ll speak to him in the next few days. It’s good to know the club has sorted it out, for the club to move forward for the years to come,” Moses said.

Moses had endorsed interim coach Trent Barrett for the top job, before the club opted to go with Ryles. The 29-year-old is hoping Ryles can find room for Barrett in his coaching staff.

“That’s up to Rylesy, I think that cards he’s been dealt… coming in, the job he’s done for us all the boys love him and I know personally for my game, he’s been massive for me,” Moses said.

“We let him down as players to be honest.”

Moses denied the uncertainty over the head coach role, and the side’s failure to secure a top eight spot for the second year running had created a toxic environment at the Eels and a fracture between players and club bosses.

“I don’t know where this disconnect (story) has come from,” Moses said. “There is no disconnect between (club bosses) and the playing group. “We’re not winning games, the media is going to come at us. We’re a close knit group at Parra, the club has our full support and they support us as well.”