Zac Lomax wants NSW goalkicking duties despite lack of success this Origin series

NSW winger Zac Lomax insists he wants to kick goals for NSW if Nathan Cleary can’t, despite claiming a lack of kicking success prompts critics to ‘come for your head’.

NSW winger Zac Lomax insists he wants to kick goals for NSW, despite claiming a lack of kicking success prompts critics to “come for your head”.

With a groin injury likely to preclude Nathan Cleary from kicking goals in the Sydney decider on Wednesday week, Lomax is ready to being parachuted into the hot seat yet again.

And Lomax confidently came forward to accept the goal kicking responsibilities.

The Blues’ goal kicking has been a major concern this season with Lomax kicking two goals from five attempts in Perth after missing his only shot in Brisbane.

Cleary, NSW’s number one goal kicker, missed three conversions in Origin I. That’s a total of three from nine.

Lomax Origin missed kick 1

“If I’m needed to do the job, I’ll do the job. I love kicking – I wouldn’t be kicking if I didn’t love it,” Lomax said.

“That’s why I kick every week. I practice most days, all the time. Every goal kicker prides himself on kicking well.

“You miss goals and everyone comes for your head but if you’re kicking well … that’s the way it goes.

“Nathan missed a few in the first game and I missed a few in the second game. It’s given you guys (the media) a lot of things to talk about and it’s the first question you’re asking me now.

“Sometimes you miss more than you would have hoped and then you kick a lot more than you’re expected to kick.

“That’s the upside and downside of having the privilege of kicking goals. I signed up to do it from a young age. I love it.”

A groin injury will likely prevent Nathan Cleary from goalkicking. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

No one in the NSW side is blaming Lomax for the loss in Perth but there’s no escaping that an additional goal or two could have swung the match towards the Blues.

Cleary appears unlikely to kick goals given the physical pressure the sweeping motion places on his troubled groin.

Asked whether he could step down as goal kicker early in the week to focus purely on playing, Cleary said: “Potentially, yeah. I’m not too sure yet.

“It’s something we will discuss quite early in the week because I don’t want it to be a ‘will he or won’t he’ situation. It’s been tough because since I hurt my groin, I haven’t had a kick yet.

“It’s not something where I want to come back (kicking) too early and set back the groin again. At this stage, the main thing that brings it (groin discomfort) on is the pressure when you kick the ball, going across the body.”

Lomax had a tough night in Perth. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

NSW coach Laurie Daley has two additional goal kicking options – Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton.

Mitchell has kicked 28 goals from 36 attempts this season with Souths for a strike rate of 78 per cent while Crichton has been successful with 37 of his 44 attempts at goals this year, a success rate of 84 per cent.

Lomax has kicked 26 goals from 33 attempts in the NRL for Parramatta this season – a success rate of 79 per cent.

“If Nathan is fit, he will kick,” said Daley. “With Nathan, it’s more when the leg goes across the body, (the groin) gets tight and irritates. It will come down to how he’s feeling next week.”

NSW will employ former Canterbury, Norths and New Zealand sharpshooter Daryl Halligan as kicking coach.

Halligan has worked with Blues through this series and the successful 2024 campaign.

Originally published as Zac Lomax wants NSW goalkicking duties despite lack of success this Origin series