Zac Lomax receives warning from rival ahead of Super Rugby debut

Lomax is in contention to line up for the Western Force in their clash with the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, after Force coach Simon Cron indicated that Lomax could debut either in this fixture or the following week against the Fijian Drua in Fiji.

The 26-year-old built his reputation in the NRL with the St George Illawarra Dragons and Parramatta Eels.

However, his proposed switch to the Melbourne Storm this season fell through, ending in an out-of-court settlement prior to a potential New South Wales Supreme Court hearing after the R360 competition was delayed until 2028.

"There's been talk about that. He's obviously a great talent in rugby league and it'll be a nice thing to see how he goes if he plays against us on the weekend," said Faessler.

After two weeks training with the Perth-based side, Lomax recently signed a two-year deal with the Force and Australian Rugby ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Although he hasn’t played rugby union since primary school, he shapes as a valuable addition for a side sitting with one win in six games, with four narrow defeats by margins of 10 points or fewer.

Faessler, who is also aiming to return from a knee injury for the match and represents both the Reds and the Wallabies, believes Lomax will be prepared for the occasion at Suncorp Stadium.

"As a Queenslander it hurts, but I think he may have been part of that Shield that they (Blues) won up here a couple of years ago, so I'm sure he's no stranger to a hostile Suncorp crowd and good luck to him if he plays."