Zac Lomax insists he is happy to keep playing on the wing after helping Parramatta to their first win of the season.
Lomax starred in the Eels’ 23-22 victory against his former St George Illawarra teammates at CommBank Stadium on Saturday, kicking a long-range penalty goal to take the game into extra time, then landing a golden-point field goal in the 84th minute to clinch the result.
The 25-year-old played seven seasons and 114 games for the Dragons before securing a release at the end of last year, ostensibly because he did not agree with new coach Shane Flanagan’s decision to switch him from his preferred centre role to wing.
That move ironically proved to be the launchpad for Lomax’s representative career, earning him selection for NSW Origin and the Kangaroos last season.
While Lomax wore the No.4 jersey on Saturday, he played mainly outside Will Penisini on the right flank and says he is happy to stay there if coach Jason Ryles believes that is the best scenario for the team.
“Rylesy just wants me to be on the ball and obviously we’ve had a few different halves as well, in regards to our combinations,” Lomax said. “Playing on the wing at the moment, it just allows me to get my hands on the ball more than not.
“Being able to touch the ball more times than not helps. Wherever it is, I don’t care where I’m at.
Parra players swamp Zac Lomax after his game-breaking field goal.Credit: Getty Images
“There’s obviously a lot of talk about it in regards to that, but my teammates know that wherever it is that’s going to help us win, I’ll be ready for it.
“Wherever that is, I actually don’t care, to be fair. I just want to get my hands on the ball as much as possible and hopefully get us a win.”
As well as his heroics with the boot, Lomax carried the ball 188 metres in attack, which included a team-high 84 metres post-contact.
He appeared to be in tears at full-time, although his insisted later his emotions were not so much about beating “some of my best mates”, but because the Eels had secured a breakthrough win after opening the season with four successive defeats.
“I was super-stoked to be able to win after losing the first four games,” Lomax said.
“It just doesn’t show where our efforts have been because we’ve worked so hard and our pre-season has been so long and there’s been so much change.
“It obviously hasn’t reflected the results, but that was the main thing. We needed to get a win and obviously it’s my previous club.”
Lomax said some Dragons players “heckled me a little bit” before his crucial penalty goal and revealed his relief after landing the decisive one-pointer.
“I just had to get the job done because that’s the worst thing – you go for the field goal and you miss,” he said.
“It’s a 20-minute restart, so you’ve just got to get it done. And thank God we did. We’re just over it.”
Ryles said he had regularly seen Lomax kick booming 40-metre field goals at training.
“He does things in big moments … it’s one of his strengths,” Ryles said.
While Lomax stole the headlines, the other standout for Parramatta was rookie fullback Isaiah Iongi, who made 222 metres in attack and scored a crucial try.
Iongi’s classy display countered the two-try haul from Dragons co-captain Clint Gutherson, who, like Lomax, was playing against his former club for the first time.
“Apart from Junior [Paulo], I think he’s been our most consistent player … he’s a talent and I’m glad we’ve got him,” Ryles said of Iongi, who joined the Eels from Penrith at the end of last season.
