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Lomax eyes French rugby as 10-year R360 bans spook players, agents
Updated ,first published
Zac Lomax has engaged a leading French rugby agent to explore a potential Top 14 stint after the NRL’s 10-year ban on dealing with R360 prompted his manager, Clinton Schifcofske, to withdraw from talks with the rebel competition.
As ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys claimed the threat of decade-long suspensions had spooked several players from pursuing R360 further, Schifcofske had loomed as the key figure in raids on NRL playing stocks.
As manager of Lomax and Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen, Schifcofske negotiated releases for the pair from Parramatta and Melbourne respectively, and also fielded a $US600,000 ($920,000)-a-year offer for Rabbitohs utility Jye Gray, who has knocked back R360 riches to re-sign with Souths.
Lomax and Papenhuyzen have been expected to join the fledgling rugby competition since exiting their NRL deals, a move that leaves them in limbo given R360 has flagged an October 2026 start, amid scant details on several aspects of the competition’s funding, logistics and playing stocks.
Meanwhile, Lomax will pursue options in the French Top 14 rugby competition.
At 26 and having never played elite rugby, there is no guarantee he will land a deal in France’s top-tier competition given the season started in September and runs until late June.
A short-term deal as a “medical joker” to replace injured players midway through a season is another potential route to game time with a French outfit.
Schifcofske – who played 234 NRL games and represented Queensland in Super Rugby as well – said on Wednesday that he will still be acting for Lomax and Papenhuyzen on all rugby league matters, as well as exploring rugby options in France and possibly Japan.
He has previously confirmed holding negotiations with R360 regarding a potential deal for Papenhuyzen. But the NRL’s threat to punish agents and players with 10-year bans has prompted the player manager to cease further talks with R360.
“I’m stepping away,” Schifcofske said on Wednesday.
“The rules have changed, so I have to play by the rules. I’m still doing all their NRL stuff if they choose to play in the NRL, and I will do all their rugby for every other sanctioned competition around the world.
“[For R360] they can get another agent or my advice was to get a lawyer.”
V’landys confirmed on Wednesday those initial conversations between Schifcofske and R360 do not risk him falling foul of any NRL suspension.
“I haven’t spoken to Clinton, but he’s done the right thing and that’s basically respecting the NRL,” V’landys said.
“We can’t ask for more than that, and he’s shown he’ll abide by the rules we’ve put in place.
“There’s no retrospective application of that ban. From the day of the announcement of that 10-year punishment [October 15], anything before that won’t be considered.”
While Lomax, Papenhuyzen and Warriors veteran Roger Tuivasa-Sheck have all been linked to R360 for months, the trio have been careful to avoid any public commitment.
Broncos star Payne Haas is R360’s biggest target, with his management originally postponing an early October meeting with rugby officials to ensure they weren’t breaching NRL rules.
A week later, the NRL announced its 10-year bans, which the ARLC maintains is a discretionary power to lift or review.
With indications from R360 officials that a $US2 million ($3 million) contract is on offer for Haas, who is off contract at the end of 2026, he is yet to make a definitive call.
V’landys has been asked to speak to Haas in an attempt to keep him in league – where Brisbane are prepared to upgrade his $1.2 million deal and make him one of the richest players in the game – but will wait until Haas returns from a family holiday in Fiji.
Talk in NRL circles this week is that prospective R360 signing targets have begun to baulk at committing to the rebel league due to concerns about the competition’s finances and what are effectively life bans from the NRL for engaging with organisers.
“That’s the indication we’re getting; I think people are starting to see that it’s a massive risk,” V’landys said.
“If it does get off the ground, will you get paid? That’s the big question.
“People are starting to look into it a bit more and the question is why would you risk your whole career on some fly-by-night competition that might not survive?”
