Zac Lomax has been spotted at Rugby Australia [RA] as the sidelined NRL star plots his next move following his failed attempt to join the Melbourne Storm.
Pictures in News Corp press on Wednesday set tongues wagging, with vision showing Lomax leaving RA's Moore Park headquarters just 24 hours after his chances of a return to the NRL were slammed shut.
Lomax was hoping the Storm would find a resolution with Parramatta, the club that retains his NRL rights, the winger hoping to be granted a release by the Eels. Instead, the Storm were forced to cough up $250,000 in legal fees and Lomax's NRL lock-out was reduced by only one year to the end of 2027.
The Eels on Tuesday said they remained open to a player swap deal for Lomax from any NRL club, but only if it "strengthened their football program".
"We believe that Zac is a good young man and we are willing to work with him and his agent, in an open and transparent manner, to explore ways that we can reach an agreement where Zac can return to the NRL," Eels chairman Matthew Beach said.
But any swap deal would also be incumbent on Lomax being satisfied with the destination and while the club has already been linked with the Warriors' Mitchell Barnett, the NSW and Australia winger might not be so keen on a shift across the Tasman.
It does however appear that Lomax may once again be entertaining a switch to the 15-player game, just as he had with R360 in what was the starting point of his current mire, after the rebel league delayed its start until 2028.
Once R360's executives confirmed the competition would not kick off in 2026, Lomax then met with both the Western Force and ACT Brumbies about the possibility of a switch to Super Rugby Pacific.
But when no top-up was forthcoming from RA, Lomax's interest in a switch to rugby cooled and he instead ramped up his attempts to try and join the Storm.
But with that door now closed, Wednesday's sighting of Lomax at Moore Park suggests either the RA has tabled an improved offer for the 26-year-old or the winger has himself come back hat in hand and is now prepared to take a contract originally reported to be in the vicinity of $300K-$400K. That figure could have been as much as half as what he was on at the Eels.
Super Rugby clubs are hamstrung by what they can offer players as part of their $5.5m salary cap, with RA providing the additional pay-packet for players who are deemed to be of Wallabies quality.
That was case for Lomax's NSW teammate Angus Crichton, who earlier this year signed a two-year deal with the Waratahs and RA. The Waratahs are also the beneficiaries of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii's switch, which has irked sections of the broader rugby community given it does not seem to be a level playing field when it comes to cross-code recruitment.
Speaking at a Rugby World Cup announcement in Sydney last month, RA boss Phil Waugh said he remained open to the prospect of signing Lomax.
"We don't know," Waugh said when asked about Lomax's intentions.
"He's a world-class athlete and, as I've always said, the door's always open to world-class athletes in our environment."
Waugh added RA's focus was to try and repatriate players with rugby experience, something that is not in Lomax's favour.
Western Force are believed to be the frontrunners to sign Lomax should a deal be reached, while NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar distanced his side from a play for out-of-work NRL star.
"Yeah that's all news to me," McKellar said of Lomax's sighting at RA. "We've got a pretty expensive back three as it is, mate, throwing Zac in there as well, I might have to lace on the boots and play in the front row.
"He's a high quality player. Things are always changing and moving but as of the moment he's not in our thoughts or plans."
ESPN has contacted Lomax's management for comment.