Rugby Australia to target top NRL talent - Lomax case settled

[BuffaloRules]

you didn’t comment on my BBC article ..:

360 gunna be the death of World Club Rugby .,

Hyperbole much?

“But the goldfish bowl Sydney media!”…are the only ones talkin about it

R360: Sale co-owner Michelle Orange warns of start-up event effects

Sale co-owner Michelle Orange says that the proposed new R360 competition risks killing off club rugby around the world if it gets off the ground.

www.bbc.com

Sure thing, the classic variant of “I know you are but what am I” on display here yet again.

 

[Gobsmacked]

“Projections”

The latest financial results were for $800m AUD for the ARLC, ie commercial revenue of the sport across Australia, NZ etc.

Vegas? The Leeds Rhinos are talking about how they can barely afford to feed the players ffs. This the league you are crowing that you are going to take over but you aren’t even feeding the players going properly. Listen I know going outside of 3 to 4 markets for rugby league, but this is embarrassing.

Yeah, projections.

No.1 in Australia & the Pacific: Rugby League announces record results | NRL.com https://share.google/ZSSkILAmcqByplDsd

 

[Gobsmacked]

“Projections”

The latest financial results were for $800m AUD for the ARLC, ie commercial revenue of the sport across Australia, NZ etc.

Vegas? The Leeds Rhinos are talking about how they can barely afford to feed the players ffs. This the league you are crowing that you are going to take over but you aren’t even feeding the players going properly. Listen I know going outside of 3 to 4 markets for rugby league, but this is embarrassing.

"Record revenue: Total revenue was a new record of $845.6 million having increased by $100.7 million compared to the prior year. Revenue has now increased by $454.2 million or 116% since 2016.
Record Distributions to clubs, players, states and development: Distributions were $562.3 million, having increased by $85.2m compared to the prior year. Since 2016 distributions have increased by $358.2 million or 175%.
Record operating surplus: A record surplus of $64.8 million in 2025. This is the 5th consecutive year of a positive surplus, with cumulative surpluses over that period totalling $291.3 million.
Record financial position: The ARLC’s financial position continues to improve considerably, with net assets now $387.3 million, up 20 per cent on the prior year and up $329.8 million or 573% since 2016."

 

[Steel Saints]

Why couldn't you have the club games as well as a test?

2pm Melbourne v ?? @ AAMI
4pm Roosters v Dragons @ Allaianz
730pm Aus v NZ @ Suncorp

The test match has the opportunity to be a real annual event. It would pull a tv audience 4 x bigger than the club games.

I see Union is trying to get an All Blacks v Wallabies game on Anzac Day, they'll probably beat us to it.

Another round where players are missing from their clubs. It devalues the comp. As for Wallabies v All Blacks, that has been a one sided contest for more than two decades.

And as someone has said, international rugby league is at it's best in a series or tournament format, not one offs.

 

[kurt faulk]

I am talking about tv rights generally.

If you think the factors that have driven the NRL’s rights upwards are unique, you are proving my point on being an insular type.

Again, Premier League rights in the U.K. are static to falling. DAZN (the great white hope) have cut rights fees dramatically for football in Europe. The new NBA rights are losing significant money. Sports rights have rationalised - you like to slate Super League in the U.K. but that’s just reality.

Sports rights generally have gone from being a so so funded part of tv networks to being the main piece over the last few decades. Sports have continually been used as a loss leader for first cable and now streaming services. Free to Air networks have been paying more for rights to pretend as though it’s still 1995. The party will stop for this eventually - the Netflix’s of the world care about events, not big bundles of exclusive league rights. Because they are basically going back to being the generic entertainment tv networks of old, the same ones who did not pay big rights for sports back in the day.

I expect the NRL to get an increase, mostly because of the extra game. Will it outstrip inflation and the cost of two new teams? Maybe, but I doubt there’ll be the depth of discussion out there about that within the goldfish bowl.

You keep talking about the nba and ignore the nfl, which is where the nrl are heading. The nfl is the king of American sports. The nrl will be the king of the pacific very soon.

Please talk about the nfl.

.

 

[taipan]

David Gallop was a brilliant CEO.

Playing a game abroad and not being able to feed the players without losing money is not big time mate, it’s small time.

Again it’s like the hotel thing, deeply impressive when you come from a low base.

David Gallop got well &truly reamed when he announced a TV deal he made" This is the biggest sports deal in Australian history". A few weeks later the fumble ball mob absolutely creamed his With their deal.Maybe it's best to be moderate making claims when your opponent is next cab off the rank.

Initially they lost money, second time break even, believe they will do better this timeAnd bigger crowds.It's called exposure. The TV ratings in this country are huge even in AFL states the number quite good.
Journalists from the ABC CBS and even the NFL over there are recommending having the whole NRL 1st round is U.S. cities, because why they see the sport as a product its faster than the NFl, and not as jumbled up with mauls and scrums like union.

Let's put is this way the NRL had an internal war that cost the code huge amounts and now has money to expand and have games overseas.And invest in cash making enterprises.
You don't need to be Einstein to know after that SL war the game started from a low base.
Just like rl in France had to come off a low base after they were screwed in WW2 by the Govt & the FRU.The position of the codes would have been reversed otherwise.

In contrast RU had a world cup in 2003 made a motza $48m from memory and their business experienced management blew the lot to show nothing.
The ARU backed by businessmen still don't have the asset base that the NRL has built.That's the natural course of business coming from a low base. Ask Richard Branson.

Union clubs in the UK have nice wealthy backers yet still lose money. Some clubs have gone .

So when union teams go abroad in some instances ,they lose money using H/O money to feed players,

 

[League Unlimited News]

Zac Lomax has agreed that he won’t return to the NRL until the 2028 season after coming to an out-of-court settlement with Parramatta.

The impasse between the parties is finally over, after Melbourne also agreed to pay $250,000 of the Eels’ legal costs. It means the protracted and potentially damaging lawsuit is over, just as Parramatta’s legal representative, Arthur Moses SC, was poised to deliver his opening submissions on Tuesday morning.

The biggest material change is that Lomax can’t return to the NRL - without Parramatta’s express written permission - until October 31, 2027. Under the initial terms of the release granted by Parramatta, that timeline was October 31, 2028.

It means that Lomax can return to the NRL 12 months earlier than originally slated, but he remains in rugby league purgatory until then.

Parramatta commenced legal proceedings to prevent Lomax from joining the Storm, given his release from a four-year contract was contingent on the Eels providing written consent. The Blues winger was granted a release to join rebel rugby competition R360, but has been left in limbo after its inaugural season was put back until 2028.

The cessation of the case is unlikely to take the sting out of the opening-round clash between Parramatta and Melbourne on Thursday.

The Eels were adamant they would not accept any deal that adversely affected their football department. They had previously knocked back offers of $100,000, $200,000, and a final one of $300,000, which included a $211,000 salary cap component to subsidise the wage of Ryan Matterson. The out-of-favour forward has inadvertently become collateral damage at a time when his own future is clouded after again suffering concussion-type symptoms.

‘Won’t be steamrolled’: Eels knock back Storm’s last attempts to do a Lomax deal

Not even the prospect of a $750,000 payday was enough to tempt Parramatta to allow Zac Lomax to play for the Melbourne Storm.

www.smh.com.au

 

[lucablight]

It won't get to a court ruling. But if it was getting a ruling Parra is losing it. As I've said, it's limiting his earning capacity and all he can offer is money. What he can get in Union is actually much less than League. Cause an Australian judge will ONLY consider what he can earn in Australia.



How is going to Union not limiting his earning capacity? Unless you play for the national team in Australia, your wages are very limited. You only have to compare the size of Union squads and the salary cap of $4mil aus dollars to understand that. He has no guarantee of making the Wallabies with a total lack of Union experience. And overseas Union contracts don't count in Australian court.

But I've already said multiple times, they will not allow a judge to rule on this, an agreement will be reached. This is just to force it all to that point.

Are you prepared to admit you got it wrong now?

 

[lucablight]

For Melbourne to capitulate like this they definitely done the dodgy behind the scenes and don’t want it coming out

 

[Captain Apollo]

It won't get to a court ruling. But if it was getting a ruling Parra is losing it. As I've said, it's limiting his earning capacity and all he can offer is money. What he can get in Union is actually much less than League. Cause an Australian judge will ONLY consider what he can earn in Australia.



How is going to Union not limiting his earning capacity? Unless you play for the national team in Australia, your wages are very limited. You only have to compare the size of Union squads and the salary cap of $4mil aus dollars to understand that. He has no guarantee of making the Wallabies with a total lack of Union experience. And overseas Union contracts don't count in Australian court.

But I've already said multiple times, they will not allow a judge to rule on this, an agreement will be reached. This is just to force it all to that point.

Parra will lose eh?

‘Disappointing for rugby league’: Storm ‘haven’t ruled out’ another Lomax play after limbo bombshell

‘Disappointing for rugby league’: Storm ‘haven’t ruled out’ another Lomax play after limbo bombshell

www.foxsports.com.au

Lomax can't return to the NRL before 2028 without the Eels consent and the Storm have to pay $250k in the Eels legal expenses.

 

[JokerEel]

So Zac's mental health didn't really mean as much as covering your asses NRL and Storms....

 

[Dogs Of War]

Parra will lose eh?

‘Disappointing for rugby league’: Storm ‘haven’t ruled out’ another Lomax play after limbo bombshell

‘Disappointing for rugby league’: Storm ‘haven’t ruled out’ another Lomax play after limbo bombshell

www.foxsports.com.au

Lomax can't return to the NRL before 2028 without the Eels consent and the Storm have to pay $250k in the Eels legal expenses.

This will be appealed. Melbourne were always going to be paying legal costs. PVL will ensure something happens to get Lomax playing this year. I don't think the behind the scenes stuff with Melbourne helped the case in any way. I would need to see the arguments that were put to the court, probably the lawyers went the wrong route. Restraint of trade and limiting earning window should have been the arguments, I suspect these weren't presented properly.

 

[lucablight]

This will be appealed. Melbourne were always going to be paying legal costs. PVL will ensure something happens to get Lomax playing this year. I don't think the behind the scenes stuff with Melbourne helped the case in any way. I would need to see the arguments that were put to the court, probably the lawyers went the wrong route. Restraint of trade and limiting earning window should have been the arguments, I suspect these weren't presented properly.

It doesn’t sound like a court ruling so what is there to appeal? It sounds like Lomax and his legal team agreed to it without the court having to make a ruling.

 

[Fangs]

The good guys won. Its a great result.

Now Melbourne can get on with what they should have done in the first place. Organise an appropriate player trade so that Zac can play again.

 

[yobbo84]

Well done Parra, fantastic result for the game.

 

[Dogs Of War]

It doesn’t sound like a court ruling so what is there to appeal? It sounds like Lomax and his legal team agreed to it without the court having to make a ruling.

Maybe that's Melb withdrawing the case in a way and Lomax has no money to continue the fight.

 

[lucablight]

Maybe that's Melb withdrawing the case in a way and Lomax has no money to continue the fight.

I just read another article that said the court ruled in favour of Parra so now I don’t know.

 

[ouwet]

Fantastic! Well done Parramatta for sticking to it, screw Melbourne and especially Lomax!

I presume now he'll have to accept playing Union somewhere... Good luck, hopefully we don't see you again in the NRL!

 

[Dogs Of War]

The good guys won. Its a great result.

Now Melbourne can get on with what they should have done in the first place. Organise an appropriate player trade so that Zac can play again.

We can offer a Josh Curran who is surplus to needs this year.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Hey look Zac - it’s the consequences of your actions.