NRL player Zac Lomax has turned down a proposal from the Melbourne Storm for the 2027 season, indicating his commitment to the Western Force rugby contract.
Recent reports from Sport Confidential suggest that the Parramatta Eels had approved Lomax's potential signing with the Storm for the upcoming season.
Nevertheless, Lomax has made it clear that he is not ready to return to the NRL, as he aims to secure a spot on the Wallabies team for the Rugby World Cup in 2027.
His situation was addressed in court in March, with the Storm eager to bring him to Melbourne sooner rather than later.
Released by the Eels in October 2025, Lomax was under the stipulation that he could not join another club.
Speculation had suggested that Lomax was interested in the R360 competition, but it was postponed until 2028, stalling his plans.
This left Lomax in a position where he would be absent from the game until 2028, unless the Eels permitted him to negotiate with other teams, which they have recently done.
The Western Sydney club considered including Lomax in a trade involving Melbourne's Jack Howarth, but this transaction ultimately fell through as Lomax chose to stay within the rugby framework.
Initially, the Eels were only willing to release Lomax for Howarth in a swap deal, but that opportunity did not materialize.