Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy remains optimistic that star winger Zac Lomax will bolster the club's NRL premiership campaign this season, despite an ongoing legal saga surrounding his playing future.
Contract Dispute Heads to Court
The stand-off over Lomax's contract is currently before the NSW Supreme Court, casting doubt on whether the 26-year-old will be cleared to play for Melbourne against his former club, Parramatta Eels, in Round 1. The Eels have emphasised that when Lomax departed to join the postponed rugby competition R360, he agreed not to join an NRL rival before the end of the 2028 season without their "express written consent".
Melbourne have made two separate financial offers to Parramatta to secure Lomax's clearance for a 2026 move, but both proposals have been rejected. The matter is scheduled for court hearings on Thursday and Friday, with the full hearing set to commence on March 2, just three days before the two teams clash on the field.
Bellamy's Cautious Optimism
"You probably have to ask higher up guys than me," Bellamy stated on Thursday. "I don't know what's happening there at the moment. It sort of changes and then it doesn't change or whatever. I'm hopeful, without a doubt. We'd love to see him."
This comes as Melbourne, reeling from successive grand final defeats, face significant challenges with key players sidelined. Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona are out, while star second-rower Eli Katoa remains indefinitely unavailable after undergoing emergency surgery in November for a brain bleed sustained during the Pacific Championships while playing for Tonga.
Rebuilding with Young Talent
"He's probably been our best player the last couple of years, you know, so it's going to be a little bit more difficult than we've had in the last couple of years," Bellamy remarked about Katoa's absence. "But we've got some good kids coming through. We won the under-21s last year, so there's a couple of good kids there that we think if we can give them time they can be a real help to us this year."
Among the emerging talents is Hugo Peel, who is being considered for the fullback role left vacant by Papenhuyzen. Versatile star Nick Meaney could also step into the No.1 jersey if needed, but Sualauvi Fa'alogo is poised for the first opportunity.
Focus on Fitness and Endurance
"(Fa'alogo) probably hasn't in the past been one of our fittest players or athletes, as they call them these days, but this year he's come back really fit," Bellamy noted. "He's done a lot of work and he realises to play that position you need to be fit and you need to have endurance. We all know he's got pace and whatever, but you need to improve his endurance, and he has."
Bellamy's Extended Tenure
In a positive development for the club, Bellamy recently re-signed with Melbourne for an additional two seasons, extending his tenure into a 26th campaign as head coach. "I've been thinking about it for a while and just thought I had a bit more time in me," he explained. "One of the other things, my wife 12 months ago probably wasn't that keen on going on, but she's basically given me her support as well, so it all worked out."
Melbourne's preparations for the 2026 season intensify as they face Canberra in a trial game at Queanbeyan on Friday night, marking a crucial step in their campaign amid the uncertainties surrounding Lomax and other key personnel.
