Raiders Chief Executive Blasts Lomax Speculation as Fabricated
Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner has launched a fiery rebuttal against suggestions his club is interested in signing controversial winger Zac Lomax, labelling the reports as "absolute bullshit" and completely fabricated.
The explosive comments come after revelations in the Supreme Court on Friday, where Parramatta Eels' legal counsel Arthur Moses SC alleged Lomax's representatives had contacted three NRL clubs about potential moves.
Courtroom Revelations Spark Outrage
During Friday's Supreme Court hearing, Moses revealed that Lomax's lawyer had proposed three potential destinations for the 26-year-old winger following the collapse of the R360 rugby union competition.
"On the 24th of December, on the evidence we have got ... there was contact made by his lawyer with the club to propose three different clubs for Mr Lomax to go to potentially," Moses stated in court.
"One of them was the Storm, one of them was the Bears and one of them was the Raiders."
Furner's Forceful Denial
Furner, who was reportedly the first NRL boss to speak against allowing Lomax to break his exit agreement during a recent club meeting, expressed outrage at the Canberra Raiders being named as a potential suitor.
"That is absolute bullshit. Nobody has spoken about him, he's never been mentioned," Furner told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"We haven't got any space in the cap and we're not looking for outside backs. I don't know how they can make that up. That's a lie."
The Raiders chief executive was particularly incensed by the timing of the allegations, given his firm stance at the recent NRL bosses meeting where he insisted the conditions of Lomax's release from Parramatta should be strictly enforced.
Contractual Complexities and Salary Cap Constraints
The situation stems from Lomax's controversial exit from Parramatta last year, where the Eels agreed to release him from the final three years of his contract on the condition he wouldn't play for another NRL club before the end of 2028.
This agreement was made to facilitate Lomax's move to the proposed R360 rugby union competition, but when that competition was postponed, the winger sought to join the Melbourne Storm instead.
Furner emphasised that Canberra simply doesn't have the financial capacity or positional need to consider Lomax, having recently bolstered their outside back stocks with the recruitment of Sione Finau and Daine Laurie.
"There was no conversation with [Lomax's agents Clinton Schifcofske and Steve Gillis] about Zac Lomax. Absolutely zero," Furner declared.
"[Suggestions we were interested are] rubbish, absolutely 100 per cent factually incorrect."
Broader NRL Implications
The ongoing legal battle between Lomax and Parramatta raises significant questions about contract enforcement in the NRL, with Furner's strong stance at the club meeting reflecting broader concerns among NRL administrators.
Prior to the December communication mentioned in court, there had already been discussions between Melbourne Storm's chair and Lomax's agent about a potential deal, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.
As the Supreme Court considers Parramatta's attempt to enforce the release conditions, Furner's vehement denial highlights the sensitive nature of player movements and the importance of accurate reporting in the high-stakes world of professional rugby league.
