![\"Jonathan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788821829_635_8a92e85b45a90780f82a70f6bc716cdfce4ba7c1.png\")
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September 8, 2026 \u2014 8:39am<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Western Force star Zac Lomax has revealed that a potential move to the NRL\u2019s Melbourne Storm for 2027 was discussed with his management before he chose to see out his rugby contract and chase the dream of playing in a World Cup on home shores.<\/p>\n Following a protracted dispute during the past off-season, Parramatta still hold the final rights over Lomax\u2019s ability to return to the NRL before 2028, and the Storm would have needed to work out a suitable deal to land the former Origin star.<\/p>\n But Lomax says he has unfinished business in rugby union before he moves to the PNG Chiefs<\/a> on a three-year deal in 2028.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they [Melbourne] went to my manager about it [playing next season] a little bit, but I think that got knocked on the head pretty quickly,\u201d Lomax said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got things that I want to help this team get to; my manager ran it [a potential move] past me. But I\u2019m obviously still here, we\u2019ve got a heap of goals as a team\u2019s point of view, and for me being a player here, I want to help be able to drive that and achieve that.\u201d<\/p>\n Lomax also revealed that he played his first season of rugby while still hampered by a lingering osteitis pubis injury sustained at the end of the 2025 NRL.<\/p>\n The former St George Illawarra and Parramatta player described playing with the injury in his first season of Super Rugby as \u201ccrippling\u201d.<\/p>\n The injury also affects a player\u2019s acceleration. Despite that, Lomax still scored two tries in six starts for the Force last year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was crippling, I haven\u2019t even been able to goal kick. I haven\u2019t put a ball on a tee once since I\u2019ve been over here [in Perth].<\/p>\n \u201cI pride myself on my goal kicking … I kick 50, 60 balls a session. So that\u2019s been the annoying thing, the crippling thing and the frustrating thing. And every athlete will tell you this: you want to be able to train at 100 per cent, especially coming over and learning a different game.<\/p>\n \u201cI was learning the game sitting on the sideline watching the whole time. So, yeah, it\u2019s disappointing because, to be fair, I probably would have been lucky to get one full session out since I first got here.\u201d<\/p>\n Lomax is entering his second season for the Force and is hopeful of playing in a new role outside centre against the Reds this Saturday at Ballymore in the Super Rugby AUS competition.<\/p>\n The position is one of the most complex defensively in rugby, with Lomax describing learning how to play with the number 13 jersey \u201clike going to school every day and not knowing what to expect.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article Lomax is still focused on fulfilling his dream of becoming a dual-code international, with the most likely path being a strong Super Rugby AUS season for the Force, before winning a spot on October\u2019s Australia \u201cA\u201d tour to the United States under coaches Stephen Larkham and Joe Schmidt.<\/p>\n The outside centre position also is not a position of serious depth for the Wallabies, unlike the wing.<\/p>\n The Force player admitted that he would \u201chave loved to have stayed in rugby union\u201d, but the three-year deal on offer from the PNG Chiefs proved financially too good to turn down.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess it\u2019s a lucrative deal that you can look after yourself and your family and ultimately, you\u2019re not in this game for a long period of time,\u201d Lomax said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou do it to help yourself and help your family and win games of footy in the meantime, and create a life that you want to be able to live.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so taxing on your body, but I guess going over there and experiencing it [in PNG], you have to be all in and it\u2019s an experience like no other… there\u2019s obviously a lot going on over there in PNG, but from a player\u2019s point of view and a human\u2019s point of view, there\u2019s a massive opportunity to help and help that place become a better home for everyone over there.\u201d<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.<\/a><\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Zac](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/e4985e5d11b698e322604365b76e8896b93e87a8.jpeg\")
Zac Lomax has enjoyed his time in Perth with the Force.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Zac](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/48a7c1e48c45c4ae44d98698e39661cfc76db5cd.jpeg\")
Zac Lomax could become competition for fellow cross-coder Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in the outside centre position.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Carter](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/940dce721d252ecde872d0b79fd24f24cea8873b.jpeg\")
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