Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force coach Simon Cron says they will exercise caution on when Zac Lomax debuts

Western Force fans may have to wait slightly longer than initially anticipated to see star recruit Zac Lomax in action after coach Simon Cron said they would exercise caution with the former league star. And Cron has also floated playing the former NSW State of Origin winger as a full-back in the 15-aside game as he assesses how to fit the talented ex-St George and Parramatta star into his backline. Headline-magnet Lomax finally received some clarity around his rugby future when he became the latest NRL star to swap league for union by signing a two-year deal with the Force. Lomax was meant to make his union debut in the breakaway Rugby 360 competition, but the rebel league’s postponement until 2028 left him without a club, while attempts to return to the NRL with Melbourne Storm ended in a legal battle with his former club, Parramatta. The 26-year-old will fly to Perth next week to link up with his new team, and with the Force having a bye after Friday’s trip to Napier to face the Hurricanes, it was anticipated Lomax would make his debut at home against the Chiefs on March 28. However, Cron said that was not necessarily the case, and they would not rush Lomax into action. “That might be a push. Physically, we’ve got to get him into camp, and he’s been training, himself and doing a lot of boxing and running, but it’s going to be more a case of high-speed meters and getting him going fast and just seeing how his body is,” he said. “He’ll get into Perth during the bye week, and we’ll start working on him. I know the S&C coaches and the medical staff have been in touch and we’ll just go from there. “He’s an athlete; he’s been running, training and boxing and doing all those things, but it’s just really high-speed exposure that we’ve got to be careful of medically. “He’s had a medical already, but just to make sure that we’re not putting him at risk, we’ll just slowly build his load. “I don’t think we can push it but at the same time, there’s a thing called process of reversibility, where if you’re an athlete, you don’t lose it straight away; he’ll still have a pretty big bank.” Lomax was one of the best wingers in the NRL and while he may more than likely end up there in union too, there are other options. His size potentially lends himself to the centres but although the Force could do with a physical, bullocking midfielder, there are concerns Lomax may struggle to handle the crucial defensive responsibilities at outside centre. While Cron joked about starting Lomax at tighthead prop, he believed full-back would be a good starting point to best utilise his running game and ability under the high ball. “He’s a very talented athlete. In pre-season, you’ve got three or four weeks before you hit the season to go through some coaching and positional play. “In-season, that’s a lot less time and we’re in the grind, so it’ll be a case of how quickly we can coach, and what he picks up. “He’s a pretty smart man. What would be a natural position for him? I think full-back is an area that he could work on, as long as he can cover backfield, and then we can progress from there.” Cron had no concerns over Lomax’s skills transferring from union to league. “He has amazing talent under the high ball. He’s got speed, he’s got a great kick, he’s powerful, he’s a big body. Sometimes the transition from rugby to league is harder, and that’s more in some of those playmaker positions and vice versa,” he said. “The forwards are very different. We’ve got props and locks, and that doesn’t really exist in rugby league; rugby league’s probably a lot more loose forward-size bodies who are mobile. “It’s positional, and his position is an area where it’s transferable and there’s been a lot of guys with success in it.”