Zac Lomax

[since77]

Word around town is that Lomax will make way for aitken which will be the dumbest decision! Seriously dumb! Unfortunately Aitken is a 1 out of 3 game player, whereas Lomax is exaclty what we need as a center and goalkicker right now. Lafai is an aferage kicker which will ultimately cost us 6-8 points if we can score some tries.

Knowing Mary’s dumb selections he will also pick Nightingale on the bench as well come game day.

Yep McGregor is stupid enough to do this. Unfortunately I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

 

[hazzbeen]

Yep McGregor is stupid enough to do this. Unfortunately I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

Yep the team the last couple of weeks has been more of he had no other choice , not Mary thinking outside the square . Hope he is smarter than I give him credit for ......

 

[Slippery Morris]

That last try Saints scored against the Bronc's would not have been scored if Aitken or even Lafai had the ball. Lomax had the vision to kick ahead knowing Dufty would win the race. And that should be enough to persuade Mary to pick Lomax ahead of anyone as a starting centre let alone Aitken.

 

[aquiin]

Seems like suicide to me to leave Pereira up against Graham when we could play McDonald on the left and Lomax and Aitken on the right. Pereira won’t play against another small winger if we keep winning. And it will cost us.

If Lomax is already being seen as defensively stable (slight overreaction), then that becomes a bigger necessity against Walker and Sutton. Their potential to ball play gives them space on the current tackle and the next tackle on a quick play the ball.

Give them any possession number over 45% and decent field position and they will find a way to outstrip us for numbers on the edges. They did it to the Storm no problems and we haven’t shown an ability to adjust on the run at any point this year. Field position and discipline is the key to this game.

 

[Crush]

Dufty
Macdonald
Aitken
Lafai
Nighty
That'll be how they run out. Mary's strongest team. The team he wants.

 

[j0nesy]

Dragons rookie Zac Lomax prepared for Greg Inglis in NRL finals clash

• Cameron Mee

AFL

Prepared for anything: Dragons youngster Zac Lomax is ready for any role Paul McGregor throws his way on Saturday. Picture: Adam McLean.

When Zac Lomax fractured his wrist in a boxing training accident in May, he feared his chances of playing finals football in 2018 were over.

Now having worked his way back to fitness and toiled away in the NSW Cup until his opportunity came, the 18-year-old is preparing to line up opposite his idol after playing the best game of his fledgling career a week ago.

The change in circumstances comes as a surprise to Lomax, but it’s an opportunity he’s relishing.

“To be honest I didn’t [think I’d be in this position], but I hoped that it would come,” Lomax said. “I guess you’ve just got to go back to training, work hard and do what you get told to do at training and just be around the boys and just be as positive as you can at training.”

The opportunity to return to the first-grade side only came after Euan Aitken injured his hamstring in the round 24 loss to the Bulldogs.

Aitken is expected to return this week and, with coach Paul McGregor keeping has cards close to his chest, Lomax is faced with the challenging task of not knowing what his role will be on Saturday night, if he is used at all.

But one thing Lomax does know is that childhood idol Greg Inglis will be ready and waiting for him.

“It just all comes down to preparation, you just stick to the same routine and just know what you have got to do, who you are coming up against and your role for the team.

“I am still unsure whether I will play, that is entirely up to Mary. If Euan plays, he showed what he can do against GI earlier in the season but I can do the job if I do get the nod.”

Where many 18-year-olds would be overawed playing in an NRL final at a packed Suncorp Stadium, Lomax looked at home on the Dragons right edge.

That came as no surprise to his St Geoge Illawarra teammates.

While there has been plenty of hype surrounding the Illawarra junior, his fellow Dragons see the work he puts in at training and they have no doubts he has the talent to become a future star.

“Everyone’s seen it now,” fullback Matt Dufty said. “He’s got talent and skill, he’s going to have a long future in the game. He’s proved he can play NRL in the last couple of weeks he’s played.”

The uncertainty surrounding Aitken has a flow-on to the remainder of the backline, with Nene Macdonald unsure who his right-edge partner will be.

After shifting from the left wing to the right, Macdonald has partnered with both players in recent weeks. The two have very different styles of play but Macdonald is confident whoever McGregor picks will thrive.

“They’re two completely different styles of players,” Macdonald said.

“Euan loves to run the ball at full speed and hit the line hard. Zac’s got good footwork, he’s tough to stop near the line and can get outside you or inside you. They’re two different styles, but two good players.

“Whoever plays has got a big job this week. GI’s in good form and it’s finals time, it’ll be an exciting challenge for us.”


https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...eady-for-inglis-after-suncorp-outing/?cs=2375

Just play the kid Mary. Roll the dice we have nothing to lose.

 

[Frank Facer]

Dufty
Macdonald
Aitken
Lafai
Nighty
That'll be how they run out. Mary's strongest team. The team he wants.

I hope we have Bennett here next year and our backline looks something like

1 Dufty
2 Oates
3 Lomax
4 McDonald
5 Pereria or an improvement or another good centre
6 Widdop
7 Hunt

 

[Crush]

I hope we have Bennett here next year and our backline looks something like

1 Dufty
2 Oates
3 Lomax
4 McDonald
5 Pereria or an improvement or another good centre
6 Widdop
7 Hunt

I reckon if we are dreaming we can do better than Pereria. He seems OK but not great.
Do you mean 2020 because next year both McGregor and Bennett are still in contract?

 

[j0nesy]

Geez, Lafai gets a bad rap in here and Mann’s a bit of a golden child.

Lafai has been good most of this season and was one of our best players against Brisbane. Tackles well, is strong, is hard to tackle, has good footwork and can offload. He is a very good Centre.

Mann is a decent player, excellent utility, particularly at 5/8th and on the wing. However, he has not performed well at centre. He’s missed a lot of 1 on 1 tackles when he’s played there. I’ll never forget when Morris schooled his last year. Mann is well down the pecking order for centres and rightly so.

 

[possm]

Probably go to Roosters now.

If he is selected on form, I am sure Lomax will stay. Millward now needs to shign him up long term to show the Dragons faith in him. This is one player I would like to see signed on a 5 year deal now.

 

[possm]

Seems like suicide to me to leave Pereira up against Graham when we could play McDonald on the left and Lomax and Aitken on the right. Pereira won’t play against another small winger if we keep winning. And it will cost us.

If Lomax is already being seen as defensively stable (slight overreaction), then that becomes a bigger necessity against Walker and Sutton. Their potential to ball play gives them space on the current tackle and the next tackle on a quick play the ball.

Give them any possession number over 45% and decent field position and they will find a way to outstrip us for numbers on the edges. They did it to the Storm no problems and we haven’t shown an ability to adjust on the run at any point this year. Field position and discipline is the key to this game.

Our best solution is to have Macdonald and Lomax to remain our outside backs on the right and Lafai and Herbert to be our outside backs on the left for this game against Souths. However, I don't think Herbert is even in the mix for this game.

 

[Frank Facer]

I reckon if we are dreaming we can do better than Pereria. He seems OK but not great.
Do you mean 2020 because next year both McGregor and Bennett are still in contract?

Yes I meant next year. If Bennett isn't at Brisbane next year, we can sack Mary and sign Bennett. It sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[JDHD]

Aitken’s been a tampon the last couple of years.

 

[giboz71]

Geez, Lafai gets a bad rap in here and Mann’s a bit of a golden child.

Lafai has been good most of this season and was one of our best players against Brisbane. Tackles well, is strong, is hard to tackle, has good footwork and can offload. He is a very good Centre.

Mann is a decent player, excellent utility, particularly at 5/8th and on the wing. However, he has not performed well at centre. He’s missed a lot of 1 on 1 tackles when he’s played there. I’ll never forget when Morris schooled his last year. Mann is well down the pecking order for centres and rightly so.

They mentiioned Lafai has scored 5 times in 9 semi final games.

Clearly a big game player.

Needs to be in the side.

 

[BLM01]

Aitken out...I think. yey
Confirmed not in the centres. Surely not bench but Mary said he has not run at above 80% yet and risky at this stage..so read what you want into that.
Wonder what the difference (non numerical) between 70% & 80% and if he runs at 85-90%, does he not get in?. Too much information, just hope he is axed from the Top 19. as should Flo be. Field for me to bench

 

[Carlton]

Geez, Lafai gets a bad rap in here and Mann’s a bit of a golden child.

Lafai has been good most of this season and was one of our best players against Brisbane. Tackles well, is strong, is hard to tackle, has good footwork and can offload. He is a very good Centre.

Mann is a decent player, excellent utility, particularly at 5/8th and on the wing. However, he has not performed well at centre. He’s missed a lot of 1 on 1 tackles when he’s played there. I’ll never forget when Morris schooled his last year. Mann is well down the pecking order for centres and rightly so.

I also think Lafai cops alot of unjustified criticism. He is not the best centre in the league but he is a long way from the worst. What I would like to see is Lafai offloading a bit more than what he is at the moment and not quite as much as he was last year.

What I dont understand is your comment Mann has not played well at centre and missed a lot of 1 on 1 tackles. He has not had much of run at centre for a long time now but the games he has played he has shown he could be a very good specialist centre. I personally haven't seen a large number of 1 on 1 misses from Mann, in fact, he is a very sound defender both in technique and ability to read the attack.

 

[Overseas dragon]

Yep McGregor is stupid enough to do this. Unfortunately I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

looks like mary has finally started to show some nous lomax will play opposite the queenslander born in nsw go young man ..........and hopefully 4 forwards on the bench if not put field on the bench ,come on mary you know you want to .........

 

[LINESPEED]

Aitken out...I think. yey
Confirmed not in the centres. Surely not bench but Mary said he has not run at above 80% yet and risky at this stage..so read what you want into that.
Wonder what the difference (non numerical) between 70% & 80% and if he runs at 85-90%, does he not get in?. Too much information, just hope he is axed from the Top 19. as should Flo be. Field for me to bench

We need Field & Dufty to run down Lomax & Hunt’s chips & kicks - because it’ll be rush defence as per last encounter?

 

[Belta]

We need Field & Dufty to run down Lomax & Hunt’s chips & kicks - because it’ll be rush defence as per last encounter?

agree about their line speed being quick as it was also quick v Melbourne, so kicking early and chasing is a real good strategy.

Souths also won the running metres and post contact metres v Melbourne. So it’s a tricky balance.

I believe Field, Dufty, Mann in the middle especially in the the latter parts of the halves would really trouble thier big pack, and could be the way to go. But, and there’s always a but, we still need to match It with them in the forwards, so too many light weights could see us losing a lot of field position, and trapping us in our own half.

 

[j0nesy]

I also think Lafai cops alot of unjustified criticism. He is not the best centre in the league but he is a long way from the worst. What I would like to see is Lafai offloading a bit more than what he is at the moment and not quite as much as he was last year.

What I dont understand is your comment Mann has not played well at centre and missed a lot of 1 on 1 tackles. He has not had much of run at centre for a long time now but the games he has played he has shown he could be a very good specialist centre. I personally haven't seen a large number of 1 on 1 misses from Mann, in fact, he is a very sound defender both in technique and ability to read the attack.

You’re right he hasn’t played there for a while and has defended well in other positions this season, so I could be being a bit harsh. I Just remember him missing 6 in half a game against Morris last year and that has stuck in my head. He deserves another chance there but not ahead of Lafai, Aitken or Lomax IMHO.