The Eels have suffered a significant setback as Zac Lomax has been sidelined for at least six weeks following Coach Jason Ryles' decision to include him in the lineup on the wing. This comes right before Parramatta takes the field alongside their key player. halfback Mitchell Moses approaching a comeback. This decision could have puzzled followers of the Dragons. Lomax was positioned on the wing. for the match against the Raiders this weekend.
After a much-publicised exit, Lombox departed from the Dragons due to reported dissatisfaction with playing on the wing. At 26 years old, he chose to leave the Dragons for the Eels, accepting a reduction in salary to expedite the transfer as relations between him and the club had soured.
After debuting with the Dragons in 2018, Lomax went on to play 114 matches for them. Nevertheless, his successful conversion kick against his previous team highlighted its significance both for him and his new teammates at the Eels following a challenging beginning at Parramatta.
Furthermore, this was bad news for Dragons supporters as Lomax confessed he'd be delighted to move to the wing position for the Eels. Following Ryles' decision to place Lomax in the number 5 jersey for their match against the Raiders, the Eels fans received disheartening information.
In the final moments of the match, Lomax sustained a slight breakage in his foot, causing him immense pain as he lay on the ground. Despite this, the Eels player managed to get back onto his feet and successfully execute the decisive field-goal during overtime. Nevertheless, due to this injury, Lomax—a recent addition to the Eels team—will be unavailable for play for at least six weeks. According to physiotherapist Brien Seeney from 'NRL Physio', the recuperation period might stretch out to around ten weeks based on how well he heals.
This result means Lomax won’t get a chance at playing wing for the NSW Blues despite excelling for his team in last year’s State of Origin. Recently, newly appointed Blues coach Laurie Daley mentioned considering moving Lomax back to the wing at the Origin level due to New South Wales’ abundance of skilled players in the backline positions.
"I view Zac as a winger rather than a center at this stage," Daley stated. "Should Zac make it into the squad, he will play on the wing; he won't be positioned in the centers. There will likely be several top-tier athletes left out if everyone is healthy. In case all of them recover fully before being selected, it'll result in difficult choices." The Eels suffered a significant setback with Lomax's injury right after receiving positive news about halfback Moses' return.
Mitchell Moses anticipated to make an early comeback following his injury
Lomax’s injury is a significant setback for the Eels as Moses prepares to come back sooner than expected. The team has sorely lacked their seasoned playmaker leading the younger players during matches, and his chemistry with Lomax had really energized supporters.
Despite the delay, Moses is close to making his comeback with Parramatta. Jim Sarantinos, the club’s CEO, highlighted that Moses' rehabilitation process is progressing smoothly. "At this point, we believe Mitch should be ready to play by round nine," Sarantinos stated on SEN Radio. "However, depending on how the coming fortnight unfolds, there might be a slight possibility he could feature as early as round seven."
This represents a significant uplift for both the Eels and the Blues. NSW coach Daley indicated that Moses might likely take up the position of five-eighth in 2025 should he regain his former prowess.
The main thing for Mitch is clearly getting back onto the field," Daley stated. "He really stood out during last season's matches. I believe Mitch possesses the skills necessary to play at the five-eighth position in Origin too. His kicking performance last year was impressive, and his knack for making crucial plays under pressure truly caught my attention, particularly evident in Game 3.
The article initially appeared on Yahoo Sports Australia. https://au.news.yahoo.com/eels-handed-brutal-zac-lomax-blow-after-telling-positional-switch-after-mitchell-moses-update-011045511.html