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Zac Lomax’s impending move to the Eels could have a wider impact on player deals in the NRL and the move should have salary cap implications for Parramatta and St George-Illawarra, says Bulldogs General Manager Phil Gould.
Lomax is reportedly set to be tabled a contract to join the Eels for the 2025 season and beyond after the 24-year-old was granted a release from the final two years of his Dragons contract last week when he expressed displeasure over shifting to the wing under new coach Shane Flanagan.
The Eels are the leading candidate to acquire his services next year, with Lomax reportedly willing to take a $200,000 pay cut to sign for the western Sydney club.
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The last two years of his deal at the Dragons was worth a reported $850,000 and $875,000 but the contract proposed by the Eels is said to be in the $650,000 range.
According to Gould, the cash that was supposed to be paid to Lomax by the Dragons, should not be struck off the salary cap for the merger club, because other teams were put at a disadvantage by the Dragons’ willingness to pay him such a lucrative salary on a back-ended deal.
“They denied other clubs access to him because they paid him an extraordinary amount of money, and back-ending it, so they can walk away from the rest of that? What happens to the salary cap value?” Gould asked on Nine’s 100 % Footy.
“How does the NRL accept he’s going to play somewhere else for less? Whatever he doesn’t get from his next club it should be included in the Dragons’ salary cap.”
The notion sparked an animated response from former Sharks skipper Paul Gallen, who labelled Gould’s take “ridiculous” and also questioned why the club should be forced to eat the difference because the player didn’t want to play out of position.
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“It’s either got to be 850 in the cap at Parramatta or 200 in the cap at St George because of the value of the player,” Gould responded.
“They took him off the market at that value. They got the first two years cheaper and then the last two years they get let off.
“What I’m saying is Parramatta can’t get away with signing him for cheaper.”
When asked if he would take on the extra cost of signing Lomax if the Bulldogs were in the mix to sign him, Gould said: “No, but that’s the contract he’s on and that’s the value.
“You open up a Pandora’s Box where the player can walk out of one club and say I’m taking less, he might be getting paid somewhere else. It opens up to all sorts of perceptions.”
Gallen reminded the former coach turned general manager about the legalities of the salary cap and how the league undertakes audits to make sure clubs don’t go down that road.
“It doesn’t mean it won’t happen,” Gould said.
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