The NRL's 19th team, the PNG Chiefs, has tabled an offer to Zac Lomax.
Channel Nine and The Daily Telegraph reported that the PNG Chiefs have met with Lomax, and he is seriously thinking of a return to rugby league.
Currently, he is on a two-year deal with the Western Force, joining the Western Australian side in early March this year after the court proceedings between the Parramatta Eels and the Melbourne Storm.
Lomax wanted to honour the Western Force contract and has aspirations of being selected for the Wallabies Rugby Union World Cup side next year; however, the Chiefs are hoping to entice him to play rugby league again.
The former Eels and Dragons star recently denied the Melbourne Storm's offer to join their side in 2027, in what would have been a swap deal, with the Eels receiving Jack Howarth.
The Parramatta Eels have the NRL playing rights of Zac Lomax until October 31 next year, after agreeing in court to reduce the length from October 31, 2028, to one year earlier.
If he were to sign with the PNG Chiefs, the rights would have to be waived, which the Eels are willing to do according to reports of the Lomax-Howarth swap.
He would join Alex Johnston, Jarome Luai, Matty Lees and Connor Watson as star recruits before an all-out assault on the open market from November 1, when they can talk to players in the NRL with 12 months remaining on their contracts.
Lomax could play his eighth season in the NRL and reach the 150 career game mark, after having already played 133 between the Eels and Dragons.
Before joining the Parramatta Eels in 2025, he requested a release from the St George Illawarra Dragons contract, where he was signed until the end of 2026.
Then, after one season of a four-year deal that would have finished at the end of the 2028 season with the Eels, he requested a release in October and was officially released in November last year.
Melbourne didn't want to trade Jack Howarth to the Eels in March as they wanted a suitable replacement.
Now, Howarth's future is in limbo after his management was granted permission to look around at rival clubs' offers.
