Former NRL star Zac Lomax has “no shortage of interest” according to his manager after any proposed R360 move has fallen through.
Earlier this month, Lomax, one of the premier wingers in the NRL, walked out on his Parramatta Eels’ contract worth a reported $700,000 per season for the next three years.
It was a sensational decision but as was the reported $1.5 million per year that the 26-year-old could earn in rival rugby union competition R360, where it was believed that Lomax was destined to sign.
R360 is a rugby union competition that’s being headed up by former England star Mike Tindall with the aim being to attract the best players in the world and have them play in a number of franchises across the world.
It was initially expected to launch in 2026 with Lomax believed to be making the move to the competition in a transition to rugby union, however, R360 organisers have confirmed the comp’s launch has been delayed until 2028.
NRL stars welcome back after R360 delay
It’s obviously a massive blow for Lomax if the previous reports of a $1.5 million yearly contract were true and it now leaves the outside back in a sticky situation.
NRL chief Peter V’landys had previously stated that any player who made the swap to R360 would be blacklisted from the competition, however, Lomax has yet to play or even sign with the rival rugby union league.
V’landys has now told AAP: “Ryan (Papenhuyzen, who also left his Melbourne Storm contract) and Zac are most welcome to back. They were just victims of a mirage.
“It’s no surprise, their current business model was never going to work. It’s a shame so many people were hoodwinked.”
Lomax could persist in a rugby union switch but it seems that a return to rugby league is also on the cards and it would likely have to be in the NRL given the huge money that he would command, though many clubs are spent up for 2026.
As such, a move to new side Perth Bears in 2027 could make the most sense and according to his manager Clinton Schifcofske, there is “no shortage of interest” in the former New South Wales star.
“Zac has options,” he explained to The Daily Telegraph.
“Zac has always been interest in other things so he can pick and choose now. There’s no shortage of interest… we’ll make a final decision shortly.”
Schifcofske, who also manages Ryan Papenhuyzen, has told the same publication that the R360 delay does not affect the full-back “at all”, adding: “He wanted time away from the game completely and that’s what he is doing.”
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