Zac Lomax and Parramatta Eels court hearing set for Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th: that’s the date Zac Lomax’s future with the Melbourne Storm will be debated in court. It’s also the date Melbourne will begin their 2026 season, with or without the 26-year-old.

On Thursday, one of Lomax’s former clubs, Parramatta, launched legal action against him for what they claim is an attempt to breach the terms of the contract he signed in 2024 by trying to play for rival club Melbourne.

In November, Lomax sought an early release from his contract with the Eels so he could pursue a lucrative deal with rebel rugby union competition R360. The Eels agreed to the release with certain conditions, including that Lomax would be prevented from joining another NRL club before his contract would have expired in 2028.

The R360 board then announced that it had not secured the funds to launch the competition until 2028, leaving Lomax in limbo. He then sought to join Melbourne for next season.

When the Storm failed to offer what the Eels considered to be adequate compensation for Lomax, they began an independent mediation process with the player, which failed to resolve the issue, leading to the Supreme Court proceedings.

On Friday, Parramatta’s lawyer, Arthur Moses SC, requested a two-day expedited hearing to address the sanctity of Lomax’s contract and whether it is valid to restrain his ability to join another NRL club.

In a summary of the case for Justice Michael Slattery, Moses said Lomax had informed the Eels that it was his dream to sign for R360, before the competition had “become a bit of a mirage”.

It was agreed that it was in the interests of both parties to deal with the matter quickly as Lomax still has an interest in playing rugby union, should he be prevented from joining another NRL club.

The case will be heard on February 12 and 13, with the Storm set to play their first pre-season match against the Canberra Raiders on that Friday night.

The Eels will issue subpoenas to Lomax’s agent, Clinton Schifcofske, his lawyer, Ramy Qutami, and the Melbourne Storm, regarding the proposed agreement with the rival club made late last year. Melbourne reportedly offered $200,000 in exchange for Lomax, while the Eels favoured a player swap. Qutami is also acting for Lomax in the Supreme Court proceedings alongside barrister Alex Casselden SC.

On Thursday, Eels chairman Matthew Beach issued a statement saying it was disappointing the club felt it had to commence legal proceedings after the mediation process had failed to produce a resolution.

“Late last year, when we were approached by Melbourne Storm, we engaged with them in good faith; however, we have not been able to come to an agreement that would represent sufficient value for our club, particularly in relation to our football program,” Beach wrote.

Melbourne and Parramatta have a tumultuous history since the Storm beat the latter in the 2009 grand final – a win they were eventually stripped of due to breaches of the NRL salary cap. The Eels have not won a premiership since 1986.

On Thursday, Beach said the Eels would consider a deal for Lomax with any of the other 15 NRL clubs, even while the Supreme Court proceedings continued.