NSW Blues star Zac Lomax will enter a new phase of his career next season as he joins the Parramatta Eels, but the winger has issued a final parting shot to former club coach Shane Flanagan.
Lomax's relationship with his former Dragons coach was continually portrayed as sour in the media, and there were times when they didn't see eye-to-eye. This began when he was dropped from the centres to the wing before signing a deal with the Eels.
Despite being named on the wing in the Dally M Team of the Year, representing the NSW Blues and likely to make his Kangaroos debut, Lomax wasn't happy about the positional switch at the start of the season and there was clear animosity between the two.
Having exited the Dragons, he has issued a swipe at his former coach, revealing that Michael Maguire was the best head coach he ever played under rather than Shane Flanagan, who won an NRL Premiership with the Cronulla Sharks in 2016.
"Madge was unbelievable. He's the best coach I've had, hands down," Lomax said on Triple M last week.
"I absolutely loved every second of it. Madge, the best thing about him is he's a good fella. He knows what the team needed.
"His job, he just wanted to bring everyone together. The way he went about it was unbelievable. It's the best thing I've seen.
"He deserves every success that goes his way. I'm sure he's going to have a real successful stint at the Broncos, for sure."
Finishing his last season at the Red V with 14 tries and 186 points to his name, Lomax's arrival at Parramatta comes as they finished in 15th place in 2024 - they could have been given the wooden spoon if they lost to the Wests Tigers in the final match of the season.
He will also be joined at the club by Dean Hawkins (Rabbitohs), Isaiah Iongi (Panthers) and Jack Williams (Sharks). They have also been continually linked to Canterbury Bulldogs youngster Joash Papalii.
This comes as Daejarn Asi, Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Titans), Blaize Talagi (Panthers), Morgan Harper, Matt Arthur (Knights), Ethan Sanders (Raiders), Ofahiki Ogden, Makahesi Makatoa, Isaac Lumelume and Lorenzo Mulitalo have all been farewelled and will be at the club in 2025.
"I knew I wasn't going to be there (St George) but (for) me personally… I just try and keep my head down and train as hard as I can," he added, per WWOS.
"Each game (I was) just trying to compete on everything. That was my plan knowing what was going to happen and knowing that I'd signed with the Eels. I didn't want to let my teammates down. That's not what I'm about.
"I just wanted a change."