Any NRL return for Zac Lomax in the next two years would almost certainly require a complex swap deal or a club willing to help Parramatta clear space in their salary cap by taking on an additional player. But one club has already made its position crystal clear.
Asked directly on Saturday whether South Sydney had any interest in pursuing Lomax, coach Wayne Bennett didn’t hesitate. “No,” he said, shutting down speculation with trademark bluntness.
Lomax’s situation has played out against the backdrop of a long and messy legal battle, during which he found an unlikely supporter in ARLC chair Peter V’landys. The league boss had previously threatened a 10‑year ban for players defecting to R360, but signalled he was prepared to overturn it to bring the NSW winger back into the fold.
Leaked text messages revealed Melbourne Storm chair Matt Tripp had also urged the NRL to intervene, arguing that helping secure Lomax’s return would be a “win for the game.”
But Bennett, preparing for his 39th NRL season, made it clear he won’t bend rules or create exceptions for any individual no matter how talented. “I’m not going to bend rules and make rules for individual players,” he said. “The game has withstood so much pressure over a long period of time. I’ve been here that long, I’ve seen the best players the game’s ever seen play.”
As the tug‑of‑war over Lomax continues, Bennett’s stance is a reminder that in his world, no player is bigger than the sport itself.
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