Lomax helps put Warriors to sword
WOLLONGONG: Zac Lomax has begun his St George Illawarra farewell tour in style, starring for the Dragons in an upset 3012 NRL win over the New Zealand Warriors last night.
Days after finalising a fouryear contract with Parramatta for 2025 and beyond, Lomax was in fine touch for the Dragons after being shifted back to the centres for the first time this season.
Lomax, who has mainly been used as a winger by Shane Flanagan until this week, scored a try, a 42m twopoint field goal and added four goals.
The victory was undoubtedly the mostencouraging of Flanagan's tenure thus far, with the Dragons weathering an early Warriors onslaught at Wollongong's WIN Stadium before responding in style.
The Warriors got into their usual rhythm with ease, powering up the middle, sending bodies in motion and asking questions of the Dragons' defence.
Wayde Egan slipped a nice pass away to Shaun Johnson for the Warriors' first try of the night after 11 minutes and the Kiwi outfit continued knocking on the Dragons' door.
Egan flung a flat pass at the Dragons' line which was picked off by opposite number Jacob Liddle, who charged 30m downfield and won a penalty.
From there the Red V held their own and they came out swinging as the uncharacteristically illdisciplined Warriors continued to piggyback them out of trouble.
Ben Hunt sparked into action, sending Moses Suli on the left edge before Mikaele Ravalawa finished on the right.
Lomax was unable to add his first two attempts but he made amends when he converted after Hunt slipped his way through three Warriors defenders to ground the ball.
With the Dragons leading 144 with just less than 30 seconds left in the first half, Lomax showed great awareness by snapping a twopoint field goal into the wind to strengthen his team’s advantage.
It was a lead that would only extend after the break when Hunt sent a spiralling bomb up into the breezy Wollongong air, and Lomax climbed above Charnze NicollKlokstad to gather the ball and dot down. Lomax added a penalty before converting a runaway effort from fullback Tyrell Sloan, who picked the ball up on his own tryline and raced the length of the field.
Sloan's try put the result beyond doubt, although Dallin WateneZelezniak did cross for a consolation try on what was a disappointing night for Andrew Webster's men.