The feud between the Melbourne Storm and Parramatta Eels over the future of Zac Lomax has taken another twist, with the Victorian club's majority owner Matt Tripp sensationally blasting the blue and gold.
Lomax was released to seek opportunities outside of the NRL at the end of 2025.
It was his intention to join the Saudi Arabian-backed rugby union competition R360, however, that was postponed to 2028, leaving the outside backo in the lurch and without a contract for 2026.
As part of his release with the Eels, clauses regarding the fact he wouldn't be allowed to join another NRL club without the express permission of Parramatta were included.
It was believed Parramatta would be open to a player swap for Lomax to join the Melbourne Storm, however, one has not been able to be arranged either with the Victorian-based club, or other teams around the league.
Lomax, an Origin winger, signed with the Eels in the middle of 2024 for 2025 and beyond on a four-year deal after his exit from the St George Illawarra Dragons, however, he lasted just a single season in Jason Ryles' side.
The Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Monday morning that Lomax's has even offered to pay the Eels a hefty sum of money to secure his release, and that he had told the club he never wanted to play rugby league again when it all originally happened.
Now, speaking to News Corp, Storm owner Tripp has blasted the Eels for their handling of the situation, while also revealing Lomax originally had no interest in joining another NRL club - he had been in talks with rugby union clubs both overseas and in Australia.
“The world now sees Zac as a guy who deliberately walked out on Parramatta with bad intentions,” Tripp told the publication.
“The reality is, he was unreliably informed that R360 was going ahead. When he asked for a release, he genuinely had no intention of joining anything other than R360.
“Parramatta happily gave him that release providing he didn't go back into the NRL. When it became apparently that R360 wasn't happening we contacted his management – as did six other clubs – and we all got a flat out ‘not interested'.
“I engaged with Zac over the two weeks leading up to Christmas and it wasn't until the new year that he agreed that if Parramatta would release him, he would come to Melbourne, but only after trying to do the right thing by asking Parramatta if they'd take him back.
“He's been crucified for being sold a dream that ended up a nightmare. Given R360 has become moot, and Parramatta didn't want him back because they were thrilled to get him off their books, I'm not sure what the young man was meant to do?”
Lomax and the Eels will meet in court next week to determine the outcome of the situation.
