Eels coach Jason Ryles said he has “a little bit” of sympathy for wantaway winger Zac Lomax after the club’s legal proceedings against him came to a close on Tuesday.

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Lomax settled with Parramatta after agreeing not to return to the NRL without the club’s consent before the 2028 season, having received interest from the Storm after a potential move to R360 fell through.

The agreement means Lomax is back in contract limbo, although the Eels reiterated they are willing to work with him and his agent to find a new club for the 26-year-old as long as they get an adequate return.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after the court case was finalised, Eels coach Jason Ryles said he was glad both parties could “move on”.

“We were on the field so we’ve just got off and just found out. It’s good that there’s a resolution and we can all move on now,” Ryles said.

“Honestly I don’t actually feel too much because we’re on to preparing for a game this week and it’s just one of those things when players move on, the place moves on really quick.

“So that’s happened since I played and it still happens now as a coach. It’s the same thing here.

“We’ve moved on really quickly. We had to, and we’re preparing for the game this weekend, so that’s where our focus lies at the moment.”

Ryles said he had a “little bit” of sympathy for Lomax when asked by reporters, but again stressed that the latest development was “pretty fresh” and that he had not had time to really reflect on what it all meant as a result.

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For now, Ryles’ focus is on this week’s season-opener against the very team they had been locked in negotiations with over the past few days.

At one point, the Eels and Storm were said to be “very close” to coming to an agreement which could have seen Lomax play his former teammates on Thursday night.

Ryles admitted “early on” he thought there was a possibility that scenario would unfold, but added that as the legal saga “dragged out”, he started to think it would no longer eventuate.

Chief executive Jim Sarantinos said outside court on Monday that the Eels “demonstrated through this process we’re not going to be steamrolled” and when asked what message the club’s actions sent, Ryles had a similar message.

“It was something that was above where I sit and there was a contract in place and there’s not a whole heap more to say about it. I think the club just held its ground and did what was within their rights and we move on,” he said.

“We were informed pretty early and we can’t sit around and wait and see what a court case is going to do. We’ve got to move on with our roster and get ready to play footy.”

Speaking of which, Ryles said he will have input on what sort of players the Eels could look to get in return for Lomax.

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“But it’s pretty fresh at the moment. We’ll just wait and see what happens,” he added.

Separate to the Lomax saga, one player the Eels have been linked to is Warriors forward Mitch Barnett, who was granted an early release from his contract on compassionate grounds.

Like the Eels, the Warriors are also after some sort of compensation for Barnett.

“He’s certainly someone we’d potentially look at,” Ryles said.

“He’s an Origin forward. I think that’s an area of our roster that we can certainly strengthen. I think us, like many clubs, will be obviously looking in that space.”

Ryles’ press conference came after the Eels opened the door for rival clubs to sign Lomax, but only if they provide an offer which “would strengthen our football program”.

Eels Chairman Matthew Beach said in a statement released by the club on Tuesday that Parramatta’s decision to take legal action was “never” about stopping Lomax from returning the NRL.

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“It was about ensuring that the terms of Zac’s release, which Zac agreed to after seeking legal advice, were adhered to,” he explained.

“As I have said before, contracts are an important part of the NRL as they are for every member of the community.

“The consent order made by the Court order confirms that the restraint that Zac agreed to when he signed the Deed of Release will have legal effect. A key term of the restraint was the requirement to obtain the written consent of the Eels before Zac could sign with another NRL club.”

Beach went on to add that despite Lomax trying to manoeuvre his way out of his contract, the Eels still believe he is a “good young man” and are “willing” to work with him and his agent to find a resolution that ends with the NSW Blues winger playing in the NRL.

“While this period has presented some unique challenges, we felt strongly about standing up for what we believed to be right, and we appreciate the passion, unity and alignment we have seen from our members, fans, sponsors and everyone within the Club,” added Beach.