The two women that sealed Lomax’s lucrative, three-year NRL return

Zac Lomax says the “chance to be part of history” and his partner’s approval to raise their first child in the PNG Chiefs’ confined resort-style accommodation sealed his return to rugby league on a lucrative three-year deal. Lomax was unveiled as the Chiefs fifth signing for 2028 on Sunday afternoon at a local match in Port Moresby, which he attended alongside club officials and Prime Minister James Marape. The 26-year-old’s deal is estimated to be worth between $700-800,000 per season and is tax-exempt under the Australian-PNG government agreement on player salaries at the incoming franchise.

The Chiefs recruitment coup will bring Lomax back to the NRL after next year’s Rugby World Cup, with Lomax briefly addressing his code-hopping in a hastily arranged press conference with local media. “Obviously I didn’t think [a rugby league] return was going to be too soon,” Lomax said. “But life changes and circumstances do and it’s all for the better.

Everything happens for a reason and you go with it… I’m all in and [the Chiefs move] is obviously in 2028. In regards to rugby I’m still still there for another year.

“I’m really looking forward to finishing that the best that I can and and competing there the best I can.” Lomax’s move to rugby on a two-year Western Force deal, after going all-in on the breakaway R360 competition, amounted to an estimated $350,000-a-year shortfall from his previous Parramatta contract. Fellow Chiefs target Joey Manu is weighing up a multi-year offer of his own after touring PNG’s housing and club facilities last week.

Manu has another year to run on his $1.6 million Racing 92 contract, but he has already been offered to rival NRL clubs as a potential mid-season signing next year before potentially linking with the Chiefs in 2028. Lomax and his family were sold on the move once his partner Kayla and mum Cheree agreed that the Chiefs five-star accommodation facilities would be suitable for their first child, expected early next year.

“To come over here and have my family experience it, that was probably the main thing that was the ticket of approval,” Lomax said. “We’ve got a little baby on the way so that was the thing that we really had to look at. But [Chiefs CEO] Lorna [McPherson], she’s like another mum.

“I think I knew – to be a part of history is what I was leaning towards straight away. And when I first caught up with [PNG officials] it was about leaving a legacy, changing the nation and just giving back to the country”. Lomax joins marquee half Jarome Luai, Souths veteran winger Alex Johnston, NSW Origin utility Connor Watson and English international Matty Lees as PNG’s confirmed 2028 signings.

PNG internationals Gairo Voro, Morea Morea and Finley Glare are also on the books on two-year development deals. The Chiefs tax-free exemptions and marquee signings have put rival NRL clubs on high-alert and privately bemoaning a player market that has been turned on its head by the new franchise. November 1 – when PNG can formally talk to any player coming off-contract in 2027 – now looms larger than ever in the scramble for topline talent, as Chiefs general manager Michael Chammas pointed to the knock-on effect of signings like Lomax.

“We’re three months away from that November 1 free agency and no one really expected us to have many players signed by the time we got there,” Chammas said. “It’s exciting. You go to players on November 1 and say ‘hey, do you want to play with these guys?’

and I think it’s a lot more appealing doing that than going there without anyone signed. “So hopefully there’s a few more before November 1 and we’ll start to assemble quite a competitive roster”. News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday.

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