In-form Lomax chasing team success for the Dragons
Dragons Den
Elusive: Zac Lomax. Picture: NRL Imagery.
St George Illawarra centre Zac Lomax has declared individual praise futile if his team is unable to secure the two points each week.
The 20-year-old was outstanding in Saturday's
loss to the Sharks, scoring a double, setting up another and regularly threatening with ball in hand.
The first of his four-pointers was one of the better tries that will be scored all season, while he produced a miracle flick pass that sent winger Mikaele Ravalawa crashing over in the 57th minute. Ravalawa will have scans on a knee injury suffered in the second half.
Lomax's performance was another reminder why many have hailed the youngster as the next Mark Gasnier, however the centre revealed he is more interested in team success than individual plaudits.
"I'm just trying to do my role for the team," Lomax said. "As a team, we've got things we need to work on.
"I'm just trying to do my role best for the team, whatever that is. I just need to make sure I'm competing on every play and doing whatever my role is for the team."
Lomax converted Ravalawa's try from the sideline to cut the deficit to four on Saturday night, the Dragons recovering from another mid-game slump.
Despite leading 14-6 after 20 minutes, St George Illawarra trailed 22-14 at the break, with Aaron Woods crashing over soon after the resumption to extend Cronulla's advantage to 14.
It was the second-straight week the Dragons had dropped off after a solid start, with the Sharks doing just enough to close out the game in the last quarter.
Both Matt Dufty and Jason Saab had chances to level the scores in the final three minutes, however they were unable to ground the football.
That error aside, Dufty was outstanding for St George Illawarra on Saturday.
While Lomax and Dufty were locked in a battle for the fullback role throughout the pre-season, the pair have built a promising combination in recent weeks.
St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor said the emerging backs are reaping the rewards of the effort put in on the training paddock.
"They're two of the young guys that are going really well," McGregor said.
"That's on the professionalism they're showing. Duft's moved down to Wollongong, he's closer to the training base, he trains early and leaves late, he does extras, he works hard with the assistant coaches.
"Zac, I don't think he goes home. He's there the whole time. It's the way they really apply themselves to their trade through the week and they're getting the results on the weekend.
"It's a bright future for them two guys in the club."
Lomax has also benefited from a consistent run in the top grade, with injuries hampering his development in previous years.
The Temora product has played every game this year, the last nine at centre, and he credited the stability for his impressive form.
"It's a pleasing thing to be able to play in that consistent position and develop some good combinations with my inside and outside players.
"I feel like each week we're developing better combinations and the camaraderie at training, especially down that right edge, and the left edge is doing a good job as well.
"I feel like we're heading in the right direction. Consistency is a big thing in rugby league and we're developing that."
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