“It’s a shame we’ve lost him”: Bellamy laments Lomax defection

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has expressed his frustration at losing rugby league star Zac Lomax to rugby union.

Following a failed bid by the Storm to land the gun winger from Parramatta, Lomax this week signed with the Western Force and Rugby Australia on a two-year-deal, effective immediately. He won't be able to return to the NRL until 2028.

"It's a shame we've lost him," Bellamy said.

"At the end of the day, I don't really know happened at the end there.

"I can understand his frustration, and I can understand him leaving our game, but that doesn't make me feel better about it. 

"I think we've lost one hell of a player to another code and we didn't really have to, but more importantly, we lost a really good person in our code.

"It is what it is."

Lomax on Tuesday revealed he hasn't closed the door on a potential return to the NRL.

"This is obviously my future, but I will never rule out what is to be later on down the track," the 26-year-old said.

"For me, it's... I want to be the best rugby union player that I can. I've already said that I'm super grateful for everything that rugby league has given me.

"Rugby league's given me the chance to be where we are today, and I'm super thankful for that, and they know that."

At the end of last season, the Eels agreed to release the NSW and Kangaroos flyer from his contract, just one year into a four-year deal, with Lomax heavily linked with the rebel rugby competition R360. 

A clause precluded from signing with a rival NRL club until the end of his initial Eels contract was included in the release.

Following the news that R360 would be postponed until 2028 Lomax was in talks with the Storm, but the issue ended up in the Supreme Court, with Parramatta standing firm.