{"id":290920,"date":"2025-11-17T18:42:41","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T18:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/290920\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T18:42:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T18:42:41","slug":"like-dominoes-why-zac-lomaxs-r360-call-could-trigger-chain-reaction-nrl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/290920\/","title":{"rendered":"Like dominoes: Why Zac Lomax’s R360 call could trigger chain reaction – NRL News"},"content":{"rendered":"

With Zac Lomax<\/a> walking out of the Parramatta Eels<\/a>, expect a chain reaction in the coming days or weeks, as that first domino in Lomax could be bigger than anyone predicted.<\/p>\n

Lomax and rumoured target Ryan\u202fPapenhuyzen are both managed by Clinton Schifcofske of GS Sports Management, whose influence spans both the NRL<\/a> and NRLW<\/a>, putting some of the game’s biggest names directly in play for R360.<\/p>\n

The shockwaves from Lomax’s departure are already being felt across NRL<\/a> boardrooms, and the rugby league world is bracing for what could be a summer of unprecedented movement.<\/p>\n

But the tidal wave will really hit if Payne Haas<\/a> makes the jump. His manager, Ahmad Merhi, could turn R360 into a signing juggernaut overnight. With heavy hitters like Dallin Watene-Zelezniak<\/a>, Siosifa Talakai<\/a>, and Keaon Koloamatangi<\/a> linked to Merhi, there’s a very real risk that an entire core of NRL<\/a> talent could follow.<\/p>\n

If Merhi pulls the trigger, it could spark a wave of departures that clubs are only beginning to contemplate \u2014 and it would mark a seismic shift in player power and agency influence in Australian footy.<\/p>\n

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck<\/a> is also rumoured to be heading to R360. A genuine star in the game, his move could add serious weight to the domino effect, lending momentum to the wave of signings already starting to take shape.<\/p>\n

While not as immediately disruptive as Lomax or Papenhuyzen, Tuivasa-Sheck’s presence in R360 would be another clear signal to players and agents that the new competition isn’t just a concept \u2014 it’s a viable destination for top-tier talent.<\/p>\n

The NRLW<\/a> could also yet be swept up in this, as GS Sports Management is also managing elite players Jess Sergis and Tarryn Aiken, and the prospect of R360 offering financial security could make it tempting for others to jump ship as well.<\/p>\n

The movement isn’t confined to the NRL<\/a> alone; the women’s competition could see its own ripple effect, with marquee signings potentially following the men’s stars to the new league.<\/p>\n

And the ground beneath the wider footy landscape could shake even harder. Wallaby phenom Max\u202fJorgensen, one of Australia’s brightest rugby union talents, is also represented by GS Sports Management.<\/p>\n

Already committed to the NSW Waratahs and Rugby Australia<\/a> until at least 2026, Jorgensen is a cross-code star whose potential involvement adds a fascinating layer to the R360 story.<\/p>\n

While rugby union has remained largely insulated from the NRL’s player movements, the lure of R360’s resources could begin to challenge that status quo.<\/p>\n

With R360 steadily building momentum, what began as a single high-profile departure could turn into a full-scale realignment of professional footy in Australia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Agents are flexing their influence, marquee players are weighing their options, and clubs are bracing for a summer that could see talent scatter in unprecedented ways.<\/p>\n

Zac Lomax<\/a> may be the first domino, but he will almost certainly not be the last. The question now is, who will be next, and just how many players will take the risk for the reward of the money on offer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With Zac Lomax walking out of the Parramatta Eels, expect a chain reaction in the coming days or…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":290921,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-290920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=290920"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290920\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/290921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=290920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=290920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}