Zac Lomax's huge revelation about preferred position amid Dragons halves crisis

Zac Lomax has put his hand up to make the switch to five-eighth amid Dragons halves crisis. Despite spending most of his career in the centres, the 24-year-old says his preferred position is in the No.6.

The call comes as Shane Flanagan has a halves headache for 2024, with Talatau Amone in legal hot water and new recruit Kyle Flanagan pushing for the hooker spot as much as a role in the halves. Lomax has his sights set on the vacant five-eighth spot as it allows him to get his hands on the ball more and have a greater impact on the game.

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“I love five-eighth,” Lomax said on The Bye Round with James Graham. “Ideally if I could play anywhere, five-eighth would be it. That’s where I would love to play. That’s my favourite position.

“There are a few options. Obviously Kyle Flanagan has come in now. Jack Bird has played a fair bit of No.6. We have got some options there at No.6 so we won’t be too short. Ben Hunt is at No.7 so it is not a bad half to be pairing up with, but whoever is going to be there they will do a good job for us.”

Lomax says he is happy to play wherever the new coach wants him to but has been told he will train more at fullback as the Dragons look to get their star more involved next season. “We have spoken about it and he wants me to do a fair bit of training at fullback. Just about getting some early pill," Lomax said.

Lomax excited to work under Flanagan

The Saints centre revealed he had a close relationship with Flanagan during his previous stint at the club in recruitment and believes his expertise will improve the club's attack and defense. “Back when Flanno was at the club and Mary (McGregor) was the coach I got on really well with Flanno and I still do,” Lomax said.

“I just love his willingness to educate players all the time and he is a real strong believer in what he believes in. He is straight to the point and he is pretty bullish in what he wants and I guess you need that in a coach. If you are given results you can give and take a little bit, but he just gets it. He has had so much success. He has won a comp. He has been around a lot of experienced players."

Despite Lomax not being due back in training until late November, Lomax revealed he and other senior players will come back early to set an example for the younger team members to follow. “I think I was meant to go back at the back end of November, but I would have just been at home doing nothing," he said.

"My date originally was the back end of November, but all the other boys are going in. I have got Blocker and Birdy to come back in with me. Big Franky Molo and his brother Mickey and Jaydn Su’A, so we have got a few boys coming back it will be good.”

Graham believes it is a promising sign that the senior players are going back to training early. “I think that is a really positive sign for the Red V that you have got that senior group that are wanting to go back in earlier and get the work done and get an understanding because there is going to be a big change,” Graham said.

“It sends a message to everyone at the club that you mean business if you guys go in on day one. Yeah there is some players that need the rest and rightly so and sometimes less is more, but even just being around the club. I think it is a strong message that you are sending.”

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