Union warns NRL clubs not to use players as pawns to sign Zac Lomax
January 18, 2026 — 9.30am
The Rugby League Players Association has warned that the Zac Lomax contract impasse should not become a “horse-trading situation” as Parramatta demand some form of compensation to let him join a rival NRL club.
Lomax, a NSW Origin and Kangaroos representative, is in limbo after the Eels agreed to
release him from the final three years of his contract, on the basis that he cannot sign for another NRL club during that time frame without their approval.
The 26-year-old had reportedly been hoping to sign with
the proposed R360 rebel rugby union competition, which has since deferred its launch date until 2028, at the earliest.
He then considered the option of
joining a Super Rugby franchise, which would have involved accepting a significant pay cut, before it emerged the Melbourne Storm were interested in securing his services.
Parramatta, however, are refusing to budge – chief executive Jim Sarantinos declaring on Thursday, “I don’t see why we should be disadvantaged in that situation” – and have indicated they would agree to allow Lomax to join Melbourne only in exchange for a player of similar ability.
The three Storm players the Eels are interested in are
Xavier Coates, Stefano Utoikamanu or Jack Howarth, but Melbourne would be loath to lose any of them.
RLPA chief executive Clint Newton said the players’ union was “certainly staunch advocates against shoulder tapping”, and would take a dim view of any player being pressured to move against their will.
“I’m not going to get caught up in whatever matters are included in the contract,” Newton said.
“That’s for them to obviously work through and hopefully resolve. However, we certainly wouldn’t be supportive of anyone entering into some sort of horse-trading type situation, where it’s on the condition of player X or player Y going to Parramatta.
“That’s not something that we would encourage or support.
“Players who have existing contracts have every right to be able to see out their futures at the club they signed the contract with.
“Melbourne are very much aware of that, and I certainly believe that they’ll honour and respect that process.”
Lomax is reported to have engaged the services of a prominent lawyer, but Newton is hopeful the issue can be resolved amicably.
“We want the best athletes playing our game,” Newton said.
“Zac is obviously a tremendous athlete and someone that we want to keep in rugby league. So really it’s just about all parties reaching an agreement, which hopefully they will.”
Sarantinos said on Thursday Lomax had “willingly signed” the terms and conditions of his release, and the Eels should not be disadvantaged just because R360 had moved the goalposts.
“Things obviously haven’t worked out the way he was expecting them to, and he is now looking at other opportunities within the NRL,” Sarantinos said.
“As far as we’re concerned, we won’t be consenting to him signing with another club unless there’s an appropriate exchange of value. We have had a representative player leave our roster who now wants to join another club’s roster.”
Player agent Steve Gillis, who along with Clinton Schicofske helps manage Lomax, told the FanaticsTV podcast he was confident “common sense would prevail”.
He also predicted Lomax, who has requested early releases from contracts with St George Illawarra and Parramatta, would honour his next deal.
“I’d be very surprised if wherever he lands next … I doubt very much he’ll be jumping out early,” he said.
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