‘They’ve Earned It’: Former Dragon Zac Lomax Reflects Emotionally on Heartbreaking Golden Point Loss

The return of Clint Gutherson to Parramatta was nearly flawless, yet a dramatic revenge win slipped away following an outstanding golden point field goal by Zac Lomax.

Lomax equalised the match by converting a penalty goal from 43 metres after Jack de Belin was penalised for a high tackle with only five minutes remaining in regular time.

As neither side could secure a field goal in the remaining minutes, the game proceeded into a thrilling golden point showdown that the Eels took immediate charge of.

Although Lomax appeared to sustain an ankle injury as the final siren sounded, he persevered to secure victory for his side.

“I’m just incredibly proud of the boys,” a visibly emotional Lomax shared with Fox Sports after the match.

“We’ve dedicated so much effort to this. Winning at home for our fans is what they deserve, and the players earned it; it was a fantastic experience,” he continued.

“I’ve seen extraordinary effort and bravery from so many young players in our squad. That’s what was disappointing at the beginning of the year – so much effort and growth with so much potential here; we just need to persist.”

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For Gutherson, the result was a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise stellar performance from the Dragons at CommBank Stadium on Saturday.

The seasoned player received a mixed reception as he entered his old home ground, but the former Eels captain wasted no time in issuing a stark warning to his previous teammates.

The 30-year-old exacted early revenge in front of his old fans by breaking through three tackles to score directly under the posts.

The Eels scrambled to adjust their formation as Gutherson received the ball from Valentine Holmes, who had charged through the ruck following a late offload from de Belin.

“Some might say the King has returned to his throne,” mused Fox League commentator Matt Russell.

“He only knows one direction – and that’s straight ahead,” added Kevin Walters.

Josh Addo-Carr responded by putting the Eels back in front, having kicked an earlier penalty goal in the sixth minute, before diving into the corner to score.

The experienced winger registered his eighth try assist of the season, orchestrating a sweeping move to the left wing that saw Christian Tuipulotu across the line.

Tuipulotu’s efforts handed his team a six-point lead at halftime, courtesy of a penalty goal converted by Holmes due to an obstruction call against Shaun Lane.

Gutherson initiated a thrilling attacking play on the verge of halftime, but after passing the ball to Tyrell Sloan, who was tackled, the former King of Parramatta found himself in the midst of a sideline spat.

Parramatta’s Sean Russell was the teammate Gutherson exchanged words with before the two men pushed each other away and exited down the tunnel.

Regardless, the incident did not faze Gutherson, as he quickly darted over to score again, kicking off the action in the second half.

Things, however, seemed to take a downturn for Lomax in his quest for revenge.

The former Dragons centre faced a chorus of boos from rival fans every time he played the ball in the opening 20 minutes.

Yet Lomax’s strong kicking proved pivotal for Parramatta as he converted a field goal from 30 metres out to clinch the win.

Earlier, Dragons players Dean Hawkins and Will Penisini found themselves in trouble during the 44th minute after referee Gerard Sutton penalised both for a dangerous tackle on Luciano Leilua.

Hawkins was cited for a high tackle attempt on Leilua while Penisini awaits his fate for a hip drop.

Leilua appeared to struggle with a leg injury upon getting back to his feet but did not require leaving the field for treatment.