Zac Lomax remains tight-lipped on reasons for Dragons departure

It saw the 24-year-old forgo the final two years of a rich Dragons deal after a long period agitating for a release to which coach Shane Flanagan ultimately relented.

It's naturally prompted whispers of a rift between the pair, particularly over Flanagan's decision to shift Lomax from the centres to the wing this year.

It's paid dividends on the park, with Lomax surging into Origin contention, but the Blues hopeful gave little insight into his strong desire to leave the club for which he's played 103 games since debuting in 2018.

"I'm not the only one that's made a decision based on career and moved clubs," Lomax said.

"It happens every day in rugby league. I've obviously been here for a number of years and played a hundred games here, but to say it doesn't happen all the time in rugby league ... it does, obviously.

"That's just the way that footy goes. I've made a decision and I'm more than comfortable to talk about next year's decision when the time is right.

"For the mean time, it's a little bit disrespectful on my behalf to talk about what's going to happen next year. My focus for me and my teammates at the moment is giving my best week in week out for the Dragons.

"I love the club, I'm a local junior, I played my 100th a few weeks ago, and my focus is here at the Dragons and being the best teammate I can.

"The big thing for me is that my teammates know I'm not going to let them down. I feel I'm playing football that my teammates are happy with, that the club's happy with, and I'm happy with as well."

The comments shed little light on the actual reasons for his departure, which remain a mystery, but Lomax was quick to dismiss suggestions it came down to simply being an unhappy winger after Flanagan made the decision to install Jack Bird at right centre.

"When you look at the decision that I made, it's got nothing to do with whatever position I play because I've shown I can play other positions," Lomax said.

"I pride myself on being a footballer that can adapt. Coming into this season, that was the word I was looking for, being able to adapt and play that role that was best for the team.

"I've shown I can do that. Whatever position it is, right centre, left centre, right wing, left wing, fullback, my best game is when I'm chasing the footy, when I'm competing on everything, when I'm playing around the footy. I felt like the back end of last year I was playing that sort of game.

"From the start of this year I was playing wing and that's all my focus was. It didn't matter where I was playing, I was going into it with the same mindset of wherever the ball is, I'm going to be chasing it, I'm going to be competing.

"I just class myself as being a footy player and I just want to win. I'm sure most of the boys would tell you I'm competitive and I'm a bit of a sore loser. I just want to win, wherever that is and whatever I can do for the team."

Players opting out of existing contracts, or inking them well in advance of their present deals expiring, continues to be a sore point among fans, one brought into sharper focus following Titans forward Dave Fifita's stunning call to back-flip on an agreed deal with the Roosters to remain on the Gold Coast this week.

A shift to the wing may have brought about career-best form, but Lomax said he never considered making a similar move after penning a four-year deal with Eels, leaving close to $1.6 million he was set to be paid by the Dragons over the next two years on the table.

"With everything that went on with me, it went on for a little bit longer and gained a fair bit of momentum," Lomax said.

"It was going on for a lot of the preseason, so once it was done, it was done. It was good to just put it past me and have it all done. It's life, decisions get made and sometimes they're decisions people don't agree with. I understand that.

"I've been at the Dragons for a long time now, and I've built a connection with a lot of fans over that time. In rugby league a lot of things change, but the Dragons and the Red V fans are obviously very passionate supporters and I'm super grateful to have built a good relationship with a lot of them.

"Hopefully they can stay really supportive and stay with us for the rest of the year. It's been a tough one because our performances haven't shown that we've built too much consistency in winning a lot of games in the past.

"My focus is to change that in the period that I'm still here. I want to be able to leave on a positive note and win as many games as we can."

The noise around his future has done nothing to dent his on-field form, with Lomax revealing he has spoken with new Blues coach Michael Maguire about a possible Origin debut this year.

"Madge has had a couple of words to me and he just wants me to keep my head down and keep competing," Lomax said.

"I want to be able to continuously do that at the Dragons. I want to be winning games of football and that's our focus. We want to be winning a lot more games and that stuff will take care of itself.

"I feel like I've been able to put my best foot forward at wing and a little bit at centre. I've been able to build some consistency and whatever [NSW] team is picked will be the right team.

"I'll just look to keep playing the best football I can and being the best teammate I can."