R360 has just been dealt a major blow in its NRL recruitment hopes.
Leading player agent Clinton Schifcofske, who manages Ryan Papenhuyzen and Zac Lomax, has officially walked away from negotiations with rebel rugby competition R360, distancing himself from speculation that he was steering NRL stars toward the breakaway code.
The move comes after ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys announced 10-year bans for any players or agents found to be formally aligned with R360, prompting Schifcofske to withdraw from all talks.
“I won't be having anything to do with R360 moving forward,” Schifcofske told Code Sports.
“There's a 10-year ban in place for agents who take players to R360, and I don't want to do the wrong thing and cop that.
“I'm absolutely respectful of the NRL's position.”
The former 234-game first-grade player, who represented the Parramatta Eels, Canberra Raiders, and Queensland Maroons, confirmed he had previously held discussions with R360 bosses regarding Papenhuyzen's availability, but stressed it was part of his duties before the NRL's stance was made clear.
“I'm not hiding that I had talks on behalf of my clients, but I was doing my job at the time,” he said.
“If those rules have changed, then I'll play by them.”
Schifcofske revealed he has now advised Lomax and Papenhuyzen to seek alternative representation if they wish to pursue R360 offers, with the league scheduled to launch on October 2, 2026.
“If they want to pursue R360, I've told them to get a lawyer to represent them in that space,” he said.
“I'll continue helping them with other rugby options around the world - Europe, Japan - but not R360.”
The agent also moved to clarify Lomax's sudden exit from the Eels, insisting there was no falling out with the club.
“Zac wasn't unhappy… He enjoyed the club but wants to do something different with his life,” Schifcofske explained.
“If they really wanted him to stay, they would've kept him - it was all amicable.”
As for Papenhuyzen, Schifcofske says the Melbourne Storm star is taking a year off from professional sport.
“‘Paps' isn't doing anything at all right now,” he said.
“He's focusing on the person, not the player.
“He has no interest in even playing marbles at the moment.”
With Schifcofske's withdrawal, the R360 saga has taken another blow, leaving Papenhuyzen and Lomax's futures uncertain, and the rebel league under mounting scrutiny from both players and officials.
