“I was the last to know and the first to be blamed”: Matterson reveals all in Lomax contract saga

Parramatta Eels forward Ryan Matterson has lifted the lid on his involvement in the contract saga surrounding Zac Lomax's move to the Storm.

Matterson has revealed he has been left in the dark in his own contract negotiations and felt he was pressured to make a significant decision about his playing career in a matter of days.

The forward's contract was set to be absorbed by the Storm as a deal sweetener for Parramatta to let Lomax make the move down to Melbourne.

With reports surfacing alluding to Matterson being the reason the deal fell through, he felt he needed to lay down the law.

"The first official notification I received from anyone came last Friday from Melbourne Storm, for which brief discussions were held and concluded the same day," Matterson said in a statement on his Instagram.

"It wasn't until Sunday afternoon where a deal was tabled, and I was expected to make a career-defining decision hours before a high profile court hearing the following morning."

It seems as if the Eels hadn't notified Matterson of their plans for his interstate move, all while he was trying to crack down on his concerning concussion issues, which he has been suffering from. 

"However, it has been difficult to see the public narrative unfold in a way that suggests I was central to a process I was not part of, particularly without being given prior notice or reasonable time to consider a decision of this magnitude, while also managing a serious head injury," he continued. 

Matterson's concern with the short-notice offering was a reason as to why he didn't accept the move down to Melbourne, and expressed his frustration for being the 'scapegoat' in what is a messy legal stoush. 

"I was not part of these negotiations. Yet, it seems I am the one being held responsible for the outcome".

"I was the last to know and the first to be blamed."