Parramatta has named its price in exchange for allowing Zac Lomax to join the Melbourne Storm.
Lomax’s future has been up in the air since Rugby 360 was delayed after he was granted a release from the Eels in November.
However, Parramatta has his playing rights because he’s still technically under contract with them, meaning they would have to green-light any deal Lomax signs with rival clubs.
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The Sydney Morning Herald reports Parramatta wants either Xavier Coates, Stefano Utoikamanu or Jack Howarth in exchange for Lomax, with some cash on top. All three are off contract at the end of next season.
Zac Lomax stuck in a tug of war. Getty
“We agreed to certain terms with Zac as conditions of the release to allow him the opportunity to explore other options outside the NRL,” Eels chief executive Jim Sarantinos said.
“We made sure there were certain protections within the release for the period he was supposed to be under contract with us, and he willingly signed up for that.
“Things obviously haven’t worked out the way he was expecting them to, and he is now looking at other opportunities within the NRL.
“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.”
It’s understood several rival clubs had also made informal inquiries about signing the 26-year-old.
There’s no path for Lomax to return to Parramatta the report states.
Melbourne is keen to sign Lomax and has money in the salary cap to make a play for him, after Ryan Papenhuyzen quit the NRL, also in pursuit of a deal with R360.