Zac Lomax’s time at Parramatta has come to an abrupt end after the club sensationally granted the representative winger an immediate release from his NRL contract.
The Eels confirmed the decision on Sunday with a press release, bringing a sudden and unexpected close to Lomax’s short stint in blue and gold, with the club referencing their desire to allow the representative winger to “pursue opportunities outside the NRL.”
His exit has intensified speculation he is preparing to join the rebel rugby competition R360, with rumblings of Lomax already being approached by R360 months prior and the club all but indicating he will be joining another competition.
The move comes as R360 continues its aggressive recruitment push, targeting high-profile NRL players and rattling clubs across the competition, which has led the NRL to sensationally declare that any player leaving for R360 would face significant penalties.
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Under the terms of Lomax’s release, he is barred from joining another NRL club until 2029 unless Parramatta give permission.
That clause becomes meaningless if he defects to R360 though, with the NRL already threatening a decade-long ban for any player who steps across to the rebel league.
The situation has created a tug-of-war between the NRL and the breakaway code which will now only intensify, turning Lomax into one of the biggest flashpoints in the escalating standoff and a name that will be synonymous with R360 in rugby league history.
Losing Lomax is a significant blow for the Eels as they attempt to force their way back into finals contention in 2026 under second-year head coach Jason Ryles and a continuously revamped roster headed by a healthy Mitchell Moses.
The goal-kicking winger is an Origin and Australian representative player, with credentials and experience that are hard to replace at any time, let alone as clubs are already entering pre-season training.
The release, however, frees up close to $650,000 in cap space and opens the door for Parramatta to strike back in the player market, though at this stage there are not many marquee names left available.
Lomax is expected to earn nearly double his salary if he links up with R360, and that doesn’t even take into account further incentives and potential tax breaks available.
Parramatta have already secured playmaker Jonah Pezet for next season and are expected to stay active as they reshape their roster, especially with Pezet set to depart for Brisbane in 2027.
Parramatta recently extended Josh Addo-Carr until the end of 2027, locking down one wing spot for the foreseeable future, with Bailey Simonsson now shaping as the early favourite to reclaim the other wing position following Lomax’s abrupt exit.
Lomax unfortunately lasted just one season at the Eels after arriving on a four-year deal, having previously walked away from a lucrative long-term Dragons contract, stating at the time that he needed a fresh challenge and believed Parramatta would be a club capable of winning.
With R360 circling more NRL players by the week, Lomax’s shock release may prove to be just the start of a wave of high-profile raids, with the code war now threatening to reshape the rugby league landscape in ways the sport has not seen since the days of the Super League.
It now appears likely Lomax being announced as an R360 recruit is almost a formality, and when it happens… there is a good chance he is just the first domino to fall in a long line of NRL casualties.