January 14 2021 - 1:16PM
Lomax not looking back on breakout season
Dragons Den
PUMPED: Zac Lomax says he'll need to find another gear in 2021. Picture: NRL Imagery
HE was the star in an otherwise forgettable campaign for the Dragons last season, but Zac Lomax says he'll need to find another level heading into his third full year in the NRL.
The 21-year-old spent last preseason getting the running in his legs to play fullback, having been anointed first choice No. 1 by then coach Paul McGregor.
The experiment ultimately lasted just one game, with a shift to the wing in round two before returning from the league's COVID-enforced hiatus at right centre.
He made the position his own from there, grabbing 13 tries and forcing his way into Brad Fittler's NSW squad for the end-of-season Origin series. It's a solid platform to launch 2021 from, but the Temora product insists he won't be resting on it.
"I think the really good players always go back and find things to work on," Lomax said.
"I'm not going to go out there and base my game on what I did last year, I just want to take each game as it comes. I'm looking to better my game as much as possible.
"I want to instil a lot more confidence in the players beside me so it's about having consistency from my good games to a bad game. You look at the best players in the NRL are consistently playing around that eight out of 10 mark.
"That's where I want to to be, I want to be that player that's not going to let my teammates down and they know, consistently, what they're going to get from me. If I can consistently have an eight out of 10 game, I'll feel I'm moving in the right direction."
The mentality is the product of time under Fittler in Blues camp that proved a crash course in professionalism.
"It was an unreal experience, certainly one I didn't take for granted," Lomax said.
"I was around the best players in the game so I just went in there, took my notepad, and tried to understand every different player, their rituals and their habits. I took so much out of it.
"Confidence is a big thing you can take out of it but just prepping for a game and how to be a full-time professional away from footy as well. There's so many players on that team that typify being a professional footballer.
"I definitely took a leaf out of every book. Fingers crossed I can stay there but, most importantly, I want to play consistent footy here for the Dragons and put the team here in the red v in a better position that last year."
As for what position he'll play, a breakout season and invitation into Blues camp leaves Lomax one of just a handful of players in the Dragons squad that is a selection lock in his preferred spot.
Whether he spends the entire season there remains to be seen, with Lomax yet to have conversation with new coach Anthony Griffin.
"I just like to see myself as just a footy player and play wherever's best for my team," Lomax said.
"That's what I've always been open to doing so wherever Hook wants me I'm happy to play. I definitely did feel comfortable there at centre towards the back end of the season. I feel like we were building a good combination there on the right edge.
"Mika [Ravalawa] is unreal to play with, he's got such a powerful carry and he's one of the best finishers in the game in my opinion. It was just good to get some combinations there and hopefully we're building something special on that edge."
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/7086039/lomax-not-looking-back-on-breakout-season/?cs=3713
