Flanno was talking up Lomax to be selected for NSW. Does not sound to me like Flanno has an issue with Lomax. If not for Flanno Lomax would not be leading Daly M's after round 7. He could easily have benched him as well, he did not have to pick him in the starting squad but obviously he knows Zac is a quality player and the best for the team. If Zac has issues it would be with the Capt as you can see they just don't get on and he is probably sick of how the club and now coach bend over backwards to please him. This may have started back when Zac and Blocker made fun of Benny's best buddy in Hook on Matty Johns show. They may have patched things up now but the damage was probably done back then. They tried to get Zac and Blocker to do it again (make fun of Hook) and Zac avoided it big time so he probably knew that may open up old wounds.
At the end of the day, the amount of damage that Hook has done during his tenure is incredible. Worst coach by a mile since the merger. Not only brought in duds and Hunt's mates for a holiday, coached the footy out of the boys as we are seeing now they are realising they are good players, but he created a very toxic culture and worst of all a split camp between Hooks mates and the rest (BHunt camp v Lomax camp). We had a great crop of great juniors coming through and they all went off the rails or left. All the Saints board had to do was hire Flanno instead of Hook or keep Young an extra year as interim (he coached alot of the juniors and would have handled that better in transitioning them to NRL) until the NRL cleared Flanno.
What is weird is why Roosters did not go in for Lomax as he is a type of player Roosters would go for and with Sualii, Manu and Toupo leaving and Teddy closed to retirement, you would think they would go in 100% but they did not. Roosters were keen 12 or so months ago for Lomax but have cooled off him big time. They had a guy like Latrell as well in the team and were glad to see him go. Maybe they can see similar traits in Zac, I don't know but they turned off him big time.
Parra were tapping him up ages ago and the fact he went to have dinner with Brad surely is not a good look for him and how would his coach and team mates feel? Lomax's manager being an ex-Eel played a role for sure. He has let Lomax down in the end as a manager with any integrity would go against something like that for his client as it would cause a huge stir at the club. Only thing that makes sense in boxing and Saints not allowing it.
I am hoping next year we find out why Lomax wanted out so badly. He may let loose once out of Saints as if he does it now it would be uncomfortable seeing he plays for them now and I have a feeling Lomax is the type that will let loose on all the reasons why he feels Saints is not the club for him going forward to justify his move which everyone is questioning not just us Saints fans. Hopefully he throws some people like Haran and co under the bus and Saints get rid of them. Maybe Lomax should have a clause and if Saints get rid of Hunt, Haran or whoever he hates, he can get out of his contract and return to Saints. Highly doubtful but how funny would that be.
