Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[crazycat]

Because those are the terms he agreed to in order to be released from Parra.

It's very simple stuff.

He is breaking a legal contract, the Storm are trying to pressure Parra to let him break his contract, and the storm have tried to coerce the NRL to support their crimes.

Whether parra wants him or not is completely irrelevant. He quit, they moved on and spent his cap space, they can't just undo all that because he's a complete and utter Trump, who is a convicted Rapist and Felon, who is a convicted Rapist and Felon.

If found guilty of blackmailing the NRL there could be severe repercussions for the Storm.

I hate Parra as much as anyone, but Lomax and the stormy are 1000% in the wrong here.

100%

No love for Parra, but they are totally right.
Lomax "I want to play for 360."
Parra "ok, we will miss you. Go ahead"
360 " can't take you".
Lomax "hey Storm, take up my contract". Storm "Sure that will give us another Premiership. We will just write it in the red book".
Parra "Hey, we have a contract!"

They do have a Contract.
We too should back that the Contract either is Honoured, OR Lomax goes play for the local tennis club.

Otherwise it's Storm and Broncos in every final and we can only dream being 8th tops.

Ban Issac Moses. This is all his doing and we need to get this rubbish out of the game.

 

[gregjm87]

100%

No love for Parra, but they are totally right.
Lomax "I want to play for 360."
Parra "ok, we will miss you. Go ahead"
360 " can't take you".
Lomax "hey Storm, take up my contract". Storm "Sure that will give us another Premiership. We will just write it in the red book".
Parra "Hey, we have a contract!"

They do have a Contract.
We too should back that the Contract either is Honoured, OR Lomax goes play for the local tennis club.

Otherwise it's Storm and Broncos in every final and we can only dream being 8th tops.

Ban Issac Moses. This is all his doing and we need to get this rubbish out of the game.

Not sure Moses has anything to do with this one

 

[240z]

If Lomax is not contracted to play at Parramatta, not on their books, not taking a roster spot, and not affecting their salary cap, then why should Parramatta be able to demand compensation?

Secondly

If Lomax had bought out his own contract, none of this would be happening.

In Australian contract law, an employee (or athlete) can:

• pay out the remaining value of their contract
• terminate the agreement
• walk away completely free

This is rare in the NRL, but it’s absolutely legal.

If Lomax had done this:

• Parramatta would have no surviving rights
• No veto
• No restriction
• No compensation claim
• No leverage
• No Supreme Court case

He would be 100% free to sign with Melbourne.

Sure Lomax wouldn't have paid $2.1m for his contract but a lesser amount (maybe the same as the Storm is offering) may have been negotiated.

Personally I think Lomax and his manager have dug their own grave here, they took a gamble and lost. Parramatta are using the veto card and demanding compensation for a player who has no playing contract with them. And the Storm, usual unto their normal tricks, and appearing to be on the inside with the NRL. Lomax, if he is so confident in his abilities should have asked to buy out his contract to take control over his career and not have veto's over his head.

Contracts within the NRL are an absolute disgrace and urgently need a revamp

 

[Tito Santana]

If he was in Ron Massey Cup or a train and trial you'd be happy to keep him. As a top 30 player he just doesn't have it. You can't carry him and the likes of Seyfarth in your top 30.

100%.

You’d have Bunty as a top 30 player before Sukkar.

 

[king_sirro]

100%.

You’d have Bunty as a top 30 player before Sukkar.

Different positions therefore irrelevant

 

[Vicious]

Eels didn't push him out of the club they released him at Lomax' request but did so with a non-compete clause. Why should they need to keep space for him to return?
He is not banned and Eels aren't seeking to ban him. They simply want compensation, that they deem fair to relinquish him from his non-compete clause. Storm have not offered that.

They are not going to get a starting player as compensation, that is just unrealistic.
Maybe they should aim a bit lower.
If they were smart they would aim for our ex Magpie junior Cooper Clarke who is a star in the making.

 

[magpies forever]

This is a very different scenario.
The Eels have replaced him and no longer have room for him within their salary cap.
How can you honour a contract if you have no room within your salary cap to honour that contract ?
If the Eels left enough cap space to allow him to return and expressed a willingness for him to play with them in 2026 I would then be in agreement that he needs to honour his contract with them, but they have moved on and can no longer fit him in their salary cap.
Yes he was going to R360 and it never eventuated, you can’t ban him for something that didn’t happen.
This being the case they are now fighting to make him sit on the sidelines.

Remember Lorax also said he didn't want to play league again. Wanted to do something else

 

[Tiger Stripes]

Yes but they do not want Lomax back, they are only trying to get something in return.
That is understandable, but they should have at least had the intention of him returning and playing for them before making such a song and dance about it.

Parra would have been pissed off he wanted an early out for big dollars elsewhere; So, built in clauses to safeguard his backtracking for a NRL return.
Lomax had big $$$ signs in his eyes [no loyalty to any club] so agreed to sign this contract.
He would have known exactly what he was signing. And still signed it. Eyes wide open! A signed agreement between both parties.
Circumstances changed and now he wants to backtrack.
Go Parra, stuff him. And Melbourne.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Be interesting what is actually in the contract release terms.
Guessing that there’s no direct dollar value of compensation or value of player swap. Really don’t care but which way this goes unless tigers get something out of it.
What really irks me is the amount of money that will be spent to obtain an outcome. Should be included in the cap imo.

potentially if Lomax has said to them I want to play for storm, parramatta says no.
He then says ok I will come back and play for parramatta
if parramatta are unable to fit him in or dont want him then I think restraint of trade by not letting him play in nrl might be a viable option.
regardless the bloke is an idiot and never sees out a contract.
will be an interesting case

 

[hank37w]

They are not going to get a starting player as compensation, that is just unrealistic.
Maybe they should aim a bit lower.
If they were smart they would aim for our ex Magpie junior Cooper Clarke who is a star in the making.

Maybe they should just let him go like we do all the time after making a lot of threats and claims and then meekly back down.

Hate the Parra-sites but I back them on this one.

 

[hank37w]

Remember Lorax also said he didn't want to play league again. Wanted to do something else

There is always boxing, there are lots out there that would love to punch him in the head. 🤣

 

[LeichhardtTiger]

Parra are a very petty club so it would not shock me if it was true.

EXCLUSIVE: Parra Season launches its new theme song

 

[TurnStyle]

Yes he was going to R360 and it never eventuated, you can’t ban him for something that didn’t happen.

You're exactly right that the eels used the Lomax money - why wouldn't they?

But whether or not R360 happened or not is irrelevant. Not Parra's problem.

What did happen though, is he signed a contract that said he wouldn't play for another nrl team till the end of the existing contract unless they approved it.

So far Parra haven't received compensation they deem commensurate, and that's why he is out of a job.

It really astounds me how (a lot of) players treat contracts: Where is their integrity?

WARNING! OLD GEEZER RANT BELOW!:

30 years ago Gorden Tallis missed a year, and I don't recall it seeming to be that massive a deal.

To me that shows a man with principles.

Sonny Bill just abandoned the dogs (okay, so can't blame him too much for that, but still...) and it was uproarious at the time. He was blasted by all and sundry.

No idea who this sundry guy is, but he seems to have anger issues.

I know I'm middle aged - and don't mean to be overly dramatic - but values like honour and integrity should never be lost from generation to generation.

Yes, it's only sport, but it's a microcosm of societal acceptances in 2026: Adults act like spoilt brats and throw a tantrum when they don't get their way, and then get everything they want.

It's a shame.

 

[TurnStyle]

There is always boxing, there are lots out there that would love to punch him in the head. 🤣

Have him fight Curtis Scott: we get to see two tools get hit at the same time! 🤣

 

[gregjm87]

They are not going to get a starting player as compensation, that is just unrealistic.
Maybe they should aim a bit lower.
If they were smart they would aim for our ex Magpie junior Cooper Clarke who is a star in the making.

There are further issues with player swaps, the main one being why would a starting player willingly leave Melbourne for Eels. So I agree it is unrealistic to expect they could get the likes of Howarth or any other starters.
But yes look at some of Melbourne's juniors might be an option. A hefty transfer fee might be an option as well.
Issue is that Storm (nor Eels really) have come to the table to discuss fair and reasonable compensation.
Storm offered a financial sum that is probably less than if you put a monetary value on losing Lomax. Eels have suggested a player trade of players Storm aren't likely to let go. Both are complicit in the situation not being resolved but only one side is guilty of negotiating with a player not free to negotiate and reportedly engaging the NRL to unjustly get involved to get their way.

 

[Tiger Stripes]

potentially if Lomax has said to them I want to play for storm, parramatta says no.
He then says ok I will come back and play for parramatta
if parramatta are unable to fit him in or dont want him then I think restraint of trade by not letting him play in nrl might be a viable option.
regardless the bloke is an idiot and never sees out a contract.
will be an interesting case

Couldn't they just put him in a lower grade on low dollars because he stuffed them up. Legally.
His ego and pay packet would kill him. HaHa. And stuff up the NRL hierarchy with their stance?

 

[king_sirro]

There are further issues with player swaps, the main one being why would a starting player willingly leave Melbourne for Eels. So I agree it is unrealistic to expect they could get the likes of Howarth or any other starters.
But yes look at some of Melbourne's juniors might be an option. A hefty transfer fee might be an option as well.
Issue is that Storm (nor Eels really) have come to the table to discuss fair and reasonable compensation.
Storm offered a financial sum that is probably less than if you put a monetary value on losing Lomax. Eels have suggested a player trade of players Storm aren't likely to let go. Both are complicit in the situation not being resolved but only one side is guilty of negotiating with a player not free to negotiate and reportedly engaging the NRL to unjustly get involved to get their way.

At least it isnt us for once

 

[cktiger]

This is a very different scenario.
The Eels have replaced him and no longer have room for him within their salary cap.
How can you honour a contract if you have no room within your salary cap to honour that contract ?
If the Eels left enough cap space to allow him to return and expressed a willingness for him to play with them in 2026 I would then be in agreement that he needs to honour his contract with them, but they have moved on and can no longer fit him in their salary cap.
Yes he was going to R360 and it never eventuated, you can’t ban him for something that didn’t happen.
This being the case they are now fighting to make him sit on the sidelines.

Of course they replaced him… he signed somewhere else.
You can’t blame Parramatta for filling the gap.
Lomax should be forced to play with them for less money or to union of the Super League…. not an NRL team.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

This is a very different scenario.
The Eels have replaced him and no longer have room for him within their salary cap.
How can you honour a contract if you have no room within your salary cap to honour that contract ?
If the Eels left enough cap space to allow him to return and expressed a willingness for him to play with them in 2026 I would then be in agreement that he needs to honour his contract with them, but they have moved on and can no longer fit him in their salary cap.
Yes he was going to R360 and it never eventuated, you can’t ban him for something that didn’t happen.
This being the case they are now fighting to make him sit on the sidelines.

It’s a compounding situation.
But primarily driven by his managers doing.
I was told the Eels did advise he can’t come back this year. It’s messy all over the place.

It’s also the same Eels who do force players and their coach to exit contracts when it suits them so my sympathy for them is non existent.

 

[Tiger Tarl]

Those texts from the Storm to the NRL CEO may be bigger than we think. It points to corruption. Corruption from a corrupt club that shows off their corruption when they claim premierships they were stripped of -- but moreso that the NRL allows it and seems to bend over for them.

This may be bigger than Lomax now and could end with V'landys and Abdo resigning, depending on what else comes out in court. Although that would require an element of integrity...