Melbourne Storm attempted to trade Josiah Pahulu or Lazarus Vaalepu in exchange for former Parramatta star Zac Lomax

Melbourne attempted to offload to Parramatta one of two fringe first-graders – with 33 NRL games between them – in exchange for allowing representative star Zac Lomax to join the Storm.

Lomax remains in league limbo after coming to an out-of-court settlement with Parramatta that effectively means he can’t return to the NRL for two years – instead of three – without the Eels’ permission. Most of the compensation negotiations centred around Ryan Matterson, and how much the Storm was prepared to pay to take him off Parramatta’s books.

The clubs finally agreed on a figure; Melbourne would pay $416,000, the remainder of Matterson’s contract for this season, plus a further $300,000 as a transfer fee. However, when Matterson demanded the Storm guarantee him a spot for 2027, the deal unravelled. In opting not to shift south, Matterson may have ended his own NRL career, and that of Lomax.

What hasn’t been revealed is the two other players that Melbourne put forward for a player swap. Sources speaking on the condition of anonymity, because the players themselves may not have been aware of the development, told this masthead the Eels were offered the relatively unknown Josiah Pahulu or Lazarus Vaalepu in exchange for Lomax.

Vaalepu is a 26-year-old prop who has made 11 first-grade appearances since making his NRL debut in 2024. All but one of them have been off the interchange bench. He didn’t make the cut for Thursday night’s clash against Parramatta at AAMI Park. His career highlight to date has been making two Test appearances for Samoa in 2024.

Pahulu is also a front-rower, who has made 22 NRL appearances since making his debut for the Gold Coast in 2024. The 21-year-old was one of Melbourne’s off-season recruits, but has also missed selection for the Eels clash. The Storm raised the prospect of shifting him just months after he arrived at the club.

The Storm were keen to suppress the identity of the players they put forward, given they both remain contracted until 2027, had the Lomax court case gone to a full hearing.

Given Parramatta was being asked to give up their rights to Lomax – a NSW and Australian representative considered one of the best wingers in the world – they found the offer of either Vaalepu or Pahulu unacceptable.