Zac Lomax's manager has confirmed contact with the Melbourne Storm, while also revealing Peter V'Landys and the ARLC are more than happy for the New South Wales Blues outside back to return to the game.
Lomax, who walked out on the Eels at the end of 2025 after just one year in blue and gold following his move from the St George Illawarra Dragons at the end of 2024, was set to be subject to the NRL's ten-year ban for players involved with the Saudi Arabian-backed R360 competition.
The NRL threatened the ban in a bid to stop currently contracted players from talking with the competition or considering a move, with salaries set to be seven figures for players.
That competition being postponed to 2028 though has seen Lomax left without a job.
He has been in contact with the Melbourne Storm, but will need to have Parramatta remove a condition of his release preventing him from playing for another club before 2029.
“It's public knowledge there's been conversations between Melbourne and us,” Lomax's manager Steve Gillis told Code Sports' Fanatics TV.
“It's a matter of trying to navigate the termination document with the Eels and how we may or may not be able to open the door for Zac to continue.
“The good news is the NRL wants the best players in the world playing in the competition. They can see and accept that.
“Peter V'landys said, ‘Yes, he's welcome back'. I think that's fantastic … I think common sense will prevail and something will get sorted.
“His intention may have been to go and play rugby somewhere, but when Melbourne come knocking, you give them an audience. If they knock on your door and say, ‘We're interested in your player', you pick up the phone and ring that player straight away to tell them Craig Bellamy is interested in you.”
Lomax, who played Origin in each of the last two seasons from the wing, is reportedly still being chased by rugby union, with the Brumbies and Western Force weighing up bids.
The star outside back has quit two clubs in two years, but Gillis said there were circumstances leading to both.
“I know the scoreboard reads poorly with (quitting) two clubs in two years but if I was doing the Melbourne Cup form here today, and analysing it, there are circumstances as to why things changed,” Gillis said.
“When he originally signed with the Dragons, Paul McGregor (former coach) said to him, 'You are my fullback, we are signing you to play fullback'.
“He played one game at fullback, went to centre, then found himself on the wing and wasn't happy at the club.
“He went to Parramatta. About a week after signing, Brad Arthur (former Eels coach) was sacked. A couple of weeks later Clint Gutherson, who helped woo him to Parramatta, went to St George."
“He played one game at fullback, went to centre, then found himself on the wing and wasn’t happy at the club.”
Cry me a river Zac !
Getting paid $900K by the Dragons, and with a coach that recognised your potential and trained you into an SOO player in twelve months.
You threw it away to go to Parra and then walked out on that club because its new Coach also wanted you to play in your best position.
No sympathy for you, sir.
Where does he think he’ll play at Melbourne? Centre? No way, he’s staying on the wing.