St George Illawarra star Zac Lomax was on his best behaviour at training, avoiding getting into scraps with his teammates, during a cross-code opposed session with the NSW Waratahs on Monday.
Senior Dragons players giggled about the training-ground squabble between Lomax and Junior Amone last week, and applauded the young pair for showing such spirit.
Zac Lomax trains with the Dragons and Waratahs on Monday.Credit:St George Illawarra Dragons
Lomax tried to shove Amone out of the way at marker as he played the ball, only for Amone to object and stand up for himself before a melee erupted.
If everything goes to plan, Lomax will be making plenty more headlines next season as he looks finally deliver on the top-shelf brand of football Red V fans have only seen in glimpses.
“Zac has been fantastic,” Dragons forward Jack de Belin said. “He’s one of the best athletes I’ve seen, he’s that fit and strong and skilful – he’s got it all.
“The last couple of years, he’s played some fantastic footy, but at the same time he’s copped a lot of flak. He just needs to knuckle down and play good footy, and I expect nothing less from him. He’s a star player and definitely in for a big 2023.”
Jack de Belin chats with Waratahs coach Darren Coleman on Monday.Credit:Edwina Pickles/SMH Sport
De Belin, who was on hand to separate Lomax and Amone apart last Thursday, said the squabble had reminded him of the day he and Trent Merrin nearly traded blows during a session almost a decade ago.
“I had an AC sprain [and] I got put on it,” de Belin said. “I grabbed him [Merrin] by the throat, but it was just heat of the moment; you have a laugh afterwards, and the same thing happened last week.”
Aaron Woods, who recalled seeing Bryce Gibbs and Keith Galloway trade punches at the Wests Tigers not long after he entered first grade, said neither Lomax and Amone did not want to take a backward step.
Amone had only been back for a few days following his Tongan World Cup commitments, and was in no mood for Lomax’s carry-on. “It was good to see him stand up for himself,” Woods said of Amone.
Aaron Woods during Monday’s joint Dragons-Waratahs training session.Credit:Edwina Pickles
As for Lomax’s finally realising his potential, Woods said: “As an athlete, Lomax is one of the best I’ve seen, and I’ve been at four NRL clubs.
“Physically, running-wise, fitness-wise, he’s the best I’ve seen. In the gym, he’s also up there as one of the strongest.
“He just has to put it out there each weekend, and if he does that consistently, then they will talk about him for Origin and Australia. We senior blokes give it to him a fair bit, but he’s a good kid, and he respects that.
“He’ll carry on about being on a big pay cheque, but I’ll remind him I’ve played more Origin and Australian games than him – he calls me ‘Old boy’, but I tell him he’s a young boy who has done nothing.
“It’s just banter. It’s my job to push him and get the best out of him [because] if he’s firing, the Dragons are a completely different side.”
The Dragons and Waratahs trained together before playing a 20-minute quarter of league, followed by 15 on 15 in rugby. Kurtley Beale and one-time Sydney Roosters target Max Jorgensen featured for the Waratahs.
De Belin, who played rugby as a junior, including school games with Wallaby Nick White while boarding together at St Gregory’s College, said even though the two teams were there to work on their conditioning, “you still want bragging rights, and I didn’t want these rugby union lads to get the better of us”.
