Zac Lomax set to miss season opener

“He might even be the specialist we put on the bench if something happens.”

Bassingthwaighte will start against the Tigers, with Tedesco and Ramsey returning for next weekend’s main trial against Parramatta.

Cherry-Evans and Robson are also expected to feature in the final match against the Eels. Even though he turns 37 next week, Tedesco said Cherry-Evans has been a leader in practice and has even reached out for extras.

Hugo Savala is another name who will take on a variety of positions for the Roosters, with the playmaker set to be lock and center throughout the summer.

Meanwhile, in other trial news on Saturday, the Tigers will start Bassingthwaighte’s under-18 Australian rugby teammate Heamasi Makasini at centre, despite the club pushing heavily for the starting position at left wing for next month’s season opener.

Las Vegas-bound Newcastle and Canterbury will give playing time to many of their big guns, including Knights newcomer Dylan Brown, while Matt Burton and Lachie Galvin will start for the Dogs.

Manly will feature in the first trial against the Warriors in Napier, New Zealand, on Saturday, with youngsters Onitoni Large and Joey Walsh the Sea Eagles starting innings.

And Ashton Ward and Jonah Glover scored first half wins for South Sydney against St George Illawarra in the Charity Shield match.

Dragons center Val Holmes (hamstring) will not play against Souths but is expected to be ready for round one against Canterbury in Vegas.

Lomax to miss Storm-Eels match after new development in case

Zac Lomax’s hopes of playing for Melbourne in the first round against former club Parramatta have been dashed after the case was adjourned until the start of the season unless the warring parties resolved the impasse out of court.

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Lomax and Parramatta are locked in a High Court dispute, with a five-day hearing of the matter scheduled for March 2-6. That means there won’t be a result until the Storm’s season opener against the Eels at AAMI Park on March 5.

Parramatta took legal action to prevent Lomax from joining the Storm, as his release from his four-year contract was dependent on the Blue and Gold giving written consent. The Blues winger was given permission to join breakaway rebel competition R360 but remains in limbo after their inaugural season was postponed until 2028.

Parramatta are seeking a player of similar value in exchange for Lomax being allowed to play for a rival club, while the Storm are struggling to find a suitable swap.

Storm chairman Matt Tripp and Eels counterpart Matthew Beach met in Sydney on Tuesday in a bid to break the deadlock. Despite Melbourne increasing its previous compensation offer by $300,000, the parties were unable to reach an agreement.

If one of the parties does not back down, Lomax will be away from the team at the beginning of the 2026 season.

Sources with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a decision out of court was unlikely, given the parties remain so far apart on what constitutes an acceptable outcome.

Jonah Pezet will make his Eels debut against his former club in the first round.

Bellamy names Papenhuyzen’s full-back successor

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy will give homegrown teenager Sua Fa’alogo the first chance at the vacant Melbourne No.1 jump this season.

Bellamy last week He will continue to serve at Storm for two more years.He will add a few new faces to his squad this season following the departure of fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona, scrum-half Jonah Pezet and the unavailability of second-rower Eliesa Katoa due to concussion.

Fa’alogo, who has played 22 NRL games since his debut in 2023, has been identified by the Storm as the man to fill Papenhuyzen’s void ahead of another Melbourne youth player, Hugo Peel.

“Sua will strike first,” Bellamy said on Thursday. “He hasn’t been one of our fittest players in the past but he’s come back in great form this year.

“He realizes that you have to be really fit and tough to play that position. We all know he has pace but he’s developed his stamina.”

Bellamy admits he did not expect two Victorian players to compete for the key full-back role.

“Probably not in the past but I think Billy Slater is our most famous full-back and he still lives here, does a bit of work for us, so I think his concentration on the full-backs has really helped Sua and Hugo,” Bellamy said.

Ahead of his 24th season with the Storm, Bellamy said he was not ready to retire after committing until the end of 2028. In previous years, he had only committed for one season.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while and thought I had a little more time,” Bellamy said. “My wife probably wasn’t keen on me continuing 12 months ago, but she basically gave me her support. I’ve committed to these two more years and that’s going to be the plan.”

The 604-game coach led the Storm to last year’s grand final defeat against Brisbane. He remains optimistic about his team this season despite the departure of some key players.

Bellamy admits he has considered retirement and is even looking forward to it, but he is not ready to say goodbye to full-time coaching any time soon and is excited about the potential of the young Storm squad.

“We’re all getting older and looking forward to retirement; maybe we’re looking forward to it, but we know it’s close,” Bellamy said.

“I’m just trying to figure out when or what the right time is. That’s the hard part. I still enjoy what I do here. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s one I’ll embrace.”

Bellamy has backed Cameron Smith as a major signing for the Broncos after the Broncos signed the Storm, Queensland and Kangaroos legend as assistant coach this season.

“We canceled his membership immediately,” Bellamy said with a laugh. “He actually called me and explained why he took the job. He doesn’t have any ties or contracts or anything like that.” [with Storm] so he can do whatever he wants with his life and be a great benefit to the Broncos. It was smart for the Broncos to take him there.

“We’d love to see him here but he’s living in Queensland now and there are absolutely no hard feelings.”