In an era when professional athletes are portrayed as mercenaries chasing the almighty dollar, the curious case of Zac Lomax is a reminder that sometimes less can be more.

Lomax could be earning close to $1 million next year if he were still contracted to St George Illawarra.

He had a deal with the Dragons for 2026, reported to be worth $875,000, and he could likely have supplemented that with match payments at representative level: $30,000 for a State of Origin appearance and $3000 for a Test.

Yet, more than 12 months ago, Lomax sought a release, and the Dragons agreed to terminate the final two years of his deal, allowing him to accept a four-season offer from Parramatta.

Players agitating to leave a club for richer rewards elsewhere is nothing new.

What made Lomax’s move to the Eels intriguing was that he was apparently content to accept a 20 per cent pay cut, dropping to about $700,000 a season.

Zac Lomax has established himself as one of the NRL’s elite wingers in recent........

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