{"id":528485,"date":"2026-03-09T08:49:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T08:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/528485\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T08:49:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T08:49:11","slug":"zac-lomax-signs-with-western-force-amid-nrl-contract-saga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/528485\/","title":{"rendered":"Zac Lomax signs with Western Force amid NRL contract saga"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cI\u2019m incredibly excited and thankful to be joining the Western Force after reaching an agreement with Rugby Australia to make the switch to rugby union,\u201d Lomax said in the statement.<\/p>\n

\"Zac<\/p>\n

Zac Lomax\u2019s ability in the air was a big attraction for the Western Force.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a huge opportunity and a challenge I\u2019m really looking forward to embracing. Stepping into a new code will push me as a player and that\u2019s something that genuinely motivates me.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe chance to be part of what the Western Force are building and to test myself at the highest level of rugby union is something that really excites me. Like any player, the dream of one day representing the Wallabies on a truly international stage and potentially competing at a Rugby World Cup is a powerful motivation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m grateful for the opportunity and can\u2019t wait to get started in Perth and begin this next chapter of my career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lomax\u2019s contract runs until the end of 2027 and includes an RA top-up payment. Provided his Super Rugby form warrants selection, he could be eligible for the Wallabies as early as July 4 when Australia host Ireland in Sydney. His first appearance for the Force is expected to be against the Chiefs in Perth on March 28, given the team has a bye in round six.<\/p>\n

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo lamented the contract saga that engulfed Lomax, Parramatta and Melbourne throughout the summer and said the 13-man code would welcome an eventual return by the 26-year-old.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe door is never going to be closed to Zac, and maybe we might see him playing rugby league again,\u201d Abdo said on Fox Sports\u2019 NRL 360.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking back, this was a drawn out affair which the fans didn\u2019t like so we need to look at that and think about what we can learn from this, what we can do better. But ultimately, hopefully we see Zac playing rugby league at some point in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old will address the media at Moore Park on Tuesday, near the statue of Wallabies great Ken Catchpole outside Allianz Stadium, and will be asked about the turbulent end to his time at Parramatta after seeking a release to join the breakaway R360 rugby competition.<\/p>\n

The signing is also something of a full-circle moment for Waugh, who helped orchestrate the deal. Waugh was part of the Wallabies side that reached the 2003 World Cup final alongside high-profile league converts Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Waugh said: \u201cZac is a superb athlete with a proven track record at representative level in rugby league and we believe he has the talent and drive to make a successful transition to rugby.<\/p>\n

\"Phil<\/p>\n

Phil Waugh (left) and former league star Mat Rogers (second from left) watch on as England claim the Rugby World Cup in 2003.Credit: AP<\/p>\n

\u201cZac brings a unique set of experiences and skills to our environment and is motivated by the challenge of competing on the global stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have entered an incredibly exciting period for Australian rugby.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an ideal world, the Force would have had Lomax for their pre-season, but the club is thrilled to secure him midyear. Cron is preparing to deploy Lomax on the wing or at fullback given his aerial ability, although he did not rule out a move to outside centre once Lomax becomes more comfortable with rugby\u2019s defensive structures.<\/p>\n

Loading<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s very keen and has called me a lot in the last 24 hours,\u201d Cron said. \u201cHe\u2019s a really smart operator and he\u2019s a well-educated player. With his high ball and kicking game, wing and fullback makes sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the boys will be really supportive. They\u2019re a good tight group. They\u2019ll like his personality type because he is driven and he\u2019s a good man.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a big body, he\u2019s fast, he\u2019s strong and he loves the aerial battles. He\u2019s got the raw talent and now our job is to help him with the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

RA and Waratahs-bound Crichton welcomed the news he would be joined in rugby by another former NRL star.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be good for him,\u201d Crichton said on Monday. \u201cHe made his bed and had to lay in it [with R360\u2019s start date pushed back to 2028], but as a friend, and [someone] who has played a fair few games with Zac, I\u2019m happy he\u2019s got a good result.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe creates stuff around him [on the field]. The more depth union has, the better they\u2019ll be.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never spoke to him about [rugby] in Origin camps. But I\u2019ve checked in on him and messaged him the other day when all the [contract] stuff went down.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s funny, I\u2019ve been in those situations where everyone is talking about you, but not many people are talking to you. He\u2019s in a good space. I\u2019m really happy for him.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cI\u2019m incredibly excited and thankful to be joining the Western Force after reaching an agreement with Rugby Australia…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":528486,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-528485","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\/528485","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=528485"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/528485\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/528486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=528485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=528485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=528485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}