Leading NRL journalist Michael Carayannis has declared Parramatta are wasting their time trying to get a star player from the Melbourne Storm in exchange for Zac Lomax. It emerged on Thursday that Eels officials have told the Storm they’d only accept one of Xavier Coates, Jack Howarth or Stefano Utoikamanu in exchange for Lomax.
The Eels agreed to release Lomax from the remainder of his contract last year, provided he doesn’t sign with another NRL club before previous deal would have expired (in 2029). But with R360 being pushed back, he’s now reportedly looking to get to the Storm and linking up with Craig Bellamy who he worked with in State of Origin camp for NSW.
The Parramatta Eels have named three players they’d accept from the Melbourne Storm for Zac Lomax. Image: Getty/AAP
The Eels still hold the power in regards to Lomax’s future, and have stated they’ll only allow him to join the Storm if they get an equal-value replacement in return. On Thursday, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Coates, Howarth and Utoikamanu are the only players the Eels would accept.
Jack Howarth would be a like-for-like replacement. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Coates and Howarth would be ready-made replacements for Lomax in the Eels’ back-line, while fellow representative player Utoikamanu would boost their forward pack. But speaking on SEN radio on Friday, Carayannis said a player swap of that magnitude won’t happen.
“They’re not going to get that,” Carayannis declared. “The outcome they’re not going to get is a star player in return. It’s just not going to happen. I can understand Parramatta’s stance but it’s probably a little bit of a waste of energy.
“A – do those players (Coates, Howarth and Utoikamanu) even want to go to Parramatta? And B – I just don’t see it happening.”
Chad Townsend weighs in on Zac Lomax to Storm situation
Chad Townsend pointed out that Utoikamanu is actually a Parramatta junior and would be the ideal long-term replacement for the ageing Junior Paulo. The Origin front-rower made his NRL debut for the Eels in 2020, but only played three games for the club before moving to Wests Tigers and then the Storm.
However the premiership winner agreed with Carayannis that he can’t see it happening. Parramatta CEO Jim Sarantinos said this week: “As far as we’re concerned, we won’t be consenting to him signing with another club unless there’s an appropriate exchange of value.
“We have had a representative player leave our roster who now wants to join another club’s roster. I don’t see why we should be disadvantaged in that situation.”