Harry Potter? Boxing? Inside the weird world of Blues wizard Zac Lomax

Zac Lomax is one of rugby league’s great mysteries. Take this for instance. He watches old boxing bouts most nights. Like, every night.

“And if I’m not watching boxing, I’m watching Harry Potter,” Lomax says. “I’m serious. Every time I watch it, I learn more about it.

“I’ve even got the ‘deathly hallows’ tattoo, which is essentially a resurrection stone, the elder wand and invisibility cloak. Harry’s my favourite. I also love Hagrid.”

The young St George Illawarra winger, who apparently is desperate to play centre, polarises fans. Even Dragons supporters.

He has a lot of confidence. Some call it ego. He regularly gets under the skin of his opponents.

However, after spending time with Lomax in NSW Origin camp in the Blue Mountains this week, a few things become apparent.

Primarily, Lomax is a genuinely nice guy.

And he is funny. He describes himself as a “class clown” and a “pest”. He is also fiercely loyal, hates to lose and is a talented golfer, who plays off a single-figure handicap.

He’s also a handy cricketer. His brother Hayden said Zac was right-handed at everything, but loved Test cricketer Mike Hussey so much, “he taught himself how to bat left-handed”.

Lomax also has a penchant for expensive jewellery, and is not afraid to splash cash on shoes and clothes. So much so that former Dragons teammate Aaron Woods is convinced he once paid $500 for a T-shirt.

Woods also described Lomax as one of the best athletes he had come across. “And I should know, I’ve been to five NRL clubs,” Woods says.

Lomax gets goosebumps talking about his Origin debut, and seeing his mum, Cheree, overcome with tears while singing the national anthem before both his games against Queensland.

“I’m just an honest dude who loves my family and friends, and wants to be the best man I can be, and the best role model I can be,” Lomax says.

“I’m also the sorest loser. I hate to lose.

“The last few times I’ve gone home to Temora, I’ve watched old videotapes of me playing when I was six or seven, and I’d be the one blowing up and throwing in the towel if we lost.

“You’d see Dad on the sideline, all embarrassed, watching his son kick stones. I was the worst sport.

“Even when I watched Origin, if NSW were losing, I’d turn off the TV and go to bed at half-time.

“But it is what drives me now. I hate losing. I always want to be better. It’s actually helped me get to where I am now.”

Lomax is proud to wear his heart on his sleeve. He knows other players hate it. He often thinks about what it would be like if he was marking himself.

“I can rub people the wrong way, I get it. When I go up against similar players, I want to flog them,” he says.

Lomax has been a revelation on the wing this year. His big body is an asset with kick returns, and few are more lethal in the air.

The 24-year-old played one game of AFL as a kid, but the way he leaps above opponents, it makes you wonder why scouts have not inquired more about pinching him for their own code.

Lomax says he would love to test his fitness against AFL stars.

“I’ve got no interest in making a switch, but I’d love to see how I’d go with their training,” he says. “I’d love to do a pre-season to see what differences there are. Could I keep up with them? Probably not. But I pride myself on being a competitor.”

For all the noise about playing on the wing, Lomax says it has never come from him. He has played every position in the NRL, including front row off the bench a few times in 2019, but never dummy half.

His best game for the Dragons this year was arguably round seven against the Warriors – when he started in the centres.

“But I have never come out and said, ‘I don’t want to play wing’, and my teammates know I will play and compete and do whatever is best for the team in any position,” Lomax says. “I’m a footy player.

“I’ve had so many different coaches that have liked different things. Some liked me competing on the ball, others didn’t want me competing on the ball, some wanted me contesting kicks, some didn’t want me contesting kicks.

“I thought to myself, ‘I’ll just back myself and do what I think works’, and if it works, it works, if it doesn’t, I’ll reassess and go again.

“I just want to bring that effort on and off the ball. If I do that, I’m helping the team.”

NSW coach Michael Maguire loves that team-first mentality. He has always been a fan. He tried to bring Lomax to Wests Tigers when he was coach.

Lomax grew up in Temora, the same Riverina town where fellow Blues Liam Martin and Angus Crichton hail from.

Lomax made a point of going home and running the water for the local first-grade side during a bye round for the Dragons. He drove from Melbourne to Temora – more than 500 kilometres – the day after Origin II to be with family.

“Whenever he comes back, he’ll run the water every time, and will do as much as he can around the club,” Hayden says. “Marto [Martin] is the same. The junior players ask for photos. They love it. And the club really appreciates what they do.”

Lomax’s father, Brad, was a handy player, and his grandfather, John Lomax, played a handful of games in the back row for Newtown in the late 1960s.

John now has dementia, but he would be proud of what Zac has done, especially in his first two Origin games.

Lomax has also kept the same three best mates since primary school, including Josh Holden and Jimmy Stewart, who live with him on the south coast, and Matt Stimson, who plays for North Sydney and is the younger brother of Gold Coast Titans forward Joe Stimson.

The foursome share the same tattoo of four stick figures on their inner forearm.

A lot can be learnt about Lomax by looking at his random tats. His quest for greatness is reflected in the images of NBA legend Michael Jordan, UFC star Conor McGregor and the No.24, a nod to late LA Laker Kobe Bryant.

There is also the saying, “Happiness is seeing my mum smile”, a tribute to Cheree, who had health battles a few years ago, as well as the words “obsessed” and “effort”.

“Obsessed? When I want something, that’s me,” he says.

“Boxing, for instance. I’m obsessed with it and love it. I thoroughly enjoy it, it’s an art, and every time you spar, you learn something.

“I’ve got it in my Parramatta contract I can fight, but it can also be taxing on the body, and this year has already been big.

“I’m obsessed with footy and love footy. I’m obsessed with family and friends, and love them.”

Origin has been good for Lomax. Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has noticed him taking on more of a leadership role since returning from the first two camps.

Blake Lawrie is his best mate at the Dragons.

“I’ve been super impressed with him this year because he’s been absolutely peppered in the media about wanting out of the Dragons, and pursuing a different role at Parra,” Lawrie says of Lomax.

“He hasn’t said one word. It’s all been said externally. But the way he’s kept a level head, and the football he’s playing, it’s a credit to him and his work ethic.

“He’s the most loyal mate and loyal to his family. If you’re not in his circle, he can come across as arrogant, but if you’re in his circle, he’ll do anything for you. That’s just who he is.”

Lomax knows things will get heated at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday. He already has a wonderful back catalogue of colourful sledges the locals have barked at him while lining up sideline conversions in previous games.

“This means everything to me, and I’ll do whatever it takes to win,” Lomax says. “It gives me goosebumps talking about it. People ask what it feels like to play Origin, and what it is like to run out. That feeling you get when you look at your family, and seeing them during the national anthem, I can’t explain it.

“I only wish I could give that emotion to them and let them feel what I feel.”

As for what the next five years looks like?

“Hopefully, I’ve won at least one comp,” Lomax says. “Who knows, maybe I’ve got a family of my own.

“Hopefully, I’ve played 10-plus Origin games, a few Tests for Australia. And that my family is healthy. I’d love to have them set up [financially].”

You can throw in a few boxing bouts. And lots and lots of reruns of Harry Potter films.

Watch State of Origin exclusively Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.