GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 09: Zac Lomax of the Dragons is congratulated by team mates after scoring a try during the round one NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and St George Illawarra Dragons at Cbus Super Stadium, on March 09, 2024, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Rugby League's worst kept secret if officially out! Zac Lomax is set to leave the Dragons.
Shane Flanagan has granted his centre turned wingers request to leave the club, as long as he waits until the end of the 2024 season.
The Dragons haven't totally ruled out a swap immediately though, stating they would consider a move for the right player swap option.
I expect no shortage of suitors looking for a quality centre for the 2025 season. I also expect a number of clubs to put the feelers out for an immediate swap.
Below are five potential landing spots for Zac Lomax for 2025, three of which would be able to make a move right away:
The obvious landing spot in slightly across Sydney in the form of the blue and gold of Parramatta.
The Eels are desperate for a quality centre, a position Lomax is very openly chasing a return to playing in.
Pre-season talk even suggested the Eels would move Clint Gutherson into the centres, such was the lack of depth in the position.
I don't wish to speak ill of the current numbers options at the Eels but Lomax would immediately improve their stocks and become their strike weapon.
Given the Eels host Mitchell Moses, Dylan Brown, Clint Gutherson, Junior Paulo, Ryan Matterson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard among others on their books, Lomax may need to look at his asking price.
The Dragons have already laughed off any suggestion that they "tip in" for Lomax for 2025 so Parra will have to cover the eye-watering contract in full.
I am strongly of the belief that the Eels would prefer an immediate swap and have the ability to make it happen.
Not for a second do I believe Shane Flanagan actually expects a top three player from an NRL roster in return for Lomax. Instead I'd be asking for a combination of squad players to improve the Red V's lack of depth.
Wiremu Greig is not a player likely to excite Dragons fans but he is someone the Dragons should be enquiring about. Blaize Talagi is the other player the Dragons should absolutely be looking at.
Ultimately it is up to the Eels to make it happen though, with the Dragons likely to sit back and let 2024 play out and stick to releasing him at the end of the year.
The Sydney Roosters are saying goodbye to both starting centres at the end of the season.
Billy Smith will slot into one of those spots having just re-signed with the club. He is a brilliant player and would make a number of other sides.
The other centre position though looks wide open.
The losses of Joseph Manu and Joseph Suaalii (as well as winger Daniel Tupou to be replaced by incoming Mark Nawaqanitawase) mean there is a mountain of cap space available to find a replacement in the backline.
The Roosters would surely be able to cover Zac Lomax, even at his current contract value.
The "move" would be a simple one for Lomax who would be swapping Kogarah for Bondi. The position is open and the money looks available.
Working against the Roosters is the fact they probably couldn't accomodate Lomax right away, should that actually be the Dragons preference.
They've got five superstar players battling for fours spots as it is. I also can't see the Roosters offering anyone up for an immediate swap.
In terms of 2025 though, the Roosters make a world of sense from both points of view.
The Dragons need starch in the middle of the field. They need a pack leader. They have a want-away winger.
The Storm, reportedly, have a disgruntled Nelson Asofa-Solomona who is the very definition of a pack leader.
Nick Meaney has excelled since his full time move into the centres but I'm not sure Reimis Smith is firing to the point he'd hold an incoming Lomax out of the side.
Perhaps even to the point the Storm would be willing to send him in return, along with the giant NAS.
You'd have to imagine those two players would land roughly on the wage of Zac Lomax. I'm sure the Storm would be willing to eat any potential difference to make the move happen also.
Quite frankly the idea of a player of the potential of Zac Lomax operating under Craig Bellamy is frightening.
Bellamy has won titles on the back of taking players with far less natural talent than Lomax and turning them into rep quality athletes.
A change of scenery might do Lomax the world of good also.
This could very much happen. If not, the Storm look a very plausible destination for 2025 as well.
Dane Gagai will be 34 by the time the 2025 season starts. He is also one of the best rep wingers of the modern era.
The Knights need more strike weapons.
Zac Lomax, at his best, is exactly that. Meanwhile Dane Gagai and Greg Marzhew would form a powerful wing combination.
As I mentioned earlier, a move out of Sydney may prove beneficial for Lomax. He's hardly a problem child but the media scrutiny for the next few months will be tough.
A potential move slightly up the highway would see him return to his preferred centre position in a side that looks a player or two short of a genuine top four shot.
The Knights have plenty of young and talented options for the backline on their books, but no one of the potential of Lomax.
I still believe there is a star in Lomax and Newcastle could be the place to see him finally deliver on that.
I can't really see a way it could happen in 2024 but pre-season rumours linked one (or both) of the Saifiti's with a move, so perhaps there's something there.
Newcastle really never replaced Dom Young. Lomax, via a shift for Gagai, could go a long way toward finally doing so.
I don't think it's unfair to suggest that the Titans need a change. The fans need something to get excited about.
The arrival of Zac Lomax, a player once seen as an almost certain rep star, could very provide that.
The Titans are enduring a horror start to the season so it's hard to see them being able to sell Lomax on an immediate switch, but he absolutely walks into the centres up north.
The Titans could very well offer up AJ Brimson as an immediate swap option. They seem content on running Brimson into the ground so why not offer it up?
They also seem to have a host of capable forwards to pad out any potential deal.
I cannot think of a world in which Des Hasler looks at his current side and thinks he has a side capable of playing Finals Footy.
I'm not sure whether or not Lomax is the type of player who can deliver that with his arrival, but the Titans need to do something. Anything!
Brimson seems to be way down the pecking order in terms of importance. He also seems willing to die for the jersey and play anywhere.
That is exactly the kind of player Shane Flanagan built a Premiership winning team around while with the Sharks.
This would have to be an immediate swap and there are far better options available for 2025.