NRL 2023: Dragons star Aaron Woods lifts lid on Zac Lomax, Junior Amone coaching scuffle

After a novel cross-code coaching session with the NSW Waratahs at Daceyville on Monday, Woods and teammate Jack de Belin spoke about final week’s coaching melee between Amone and Zac Lomax.

The pair needed to be separated by teammates after Amone blew up at being pushed off the mark by Lomax throughout a tense coaching session.

“They’re younger boys who didn’t wish to let one in every of them get excessive of the opposite. They don’t need anybody to get in entrance of them for a spot,” Woods stated.

“Junior Amone is taking some possession of the staff. You don’t wish to see these gamers get stood throughout. It was actually good to see him arise for himself.

“Truthfully, we’ll at all times give it a crack but when folks say it doesn’t imply a lot to us then why are blokes punching on at coaching?

“There was a little bit of contact and they’re each lippy. You need that out of your halves and centres. You need them to get caught into one another – the way in which you prepare is the way in which you play.

“It was blown out of (proportion). I’ve seen it loads of occasions. The one factor completely different was that it was an open fan session and there have been cameras there. It occurred, they had been a bit feisty however the boys received over it.

“Have you ever observed how Lomax at all times pushes guys off the mark? He did that to Junior. He’s a younger canine coming by. He has to earn his stripes.”

De Belin added: “I used to be on the sidelines chatting away and missed all of it, however I ran in and broke it up. It’s like a recreation of footy, issues occur, there are distractions, however you get on with the job.

“I’ve seen it (run-ins) occur on quite a few events, and it’s not out of the unusual. If you’ve received boys competing arduous, particularly when it’s an opposed session, you’ve received guys who would possibly go tougher than others.

“We’re all passionate, we’re all good teammates, so if something it’s a superb factor.”

De Belin recalled an identical coaching battle with then Dragons teammate Trent Merrin.

“It was an identical factor, I had an AC sprain, I received placed on it, I grabbed him by the throat, nevertheless it was simply warmth of the second. You may have amusing about it afterwards,” he stated.

Woods stepped ahead with immense reward for Lomax’s pure capacity and construct.

“As an athlete, Lomax is without doubt one of the greatest I’ve seen and I’ve been at 4 golf equipment. Bodily, running-wise, fitness-wise, he’s the perfect I’ve seen. Within the health club, he’s up there as one of many strongest,” Woods stated.

“He simply has to place it on the market every weekend and if he does that persistently then they are going to speak about him for Origin and Australia.

“Jack Wighton performed centre however I personally consider Lomax could possibly be up there if not higher. He’s simply received to consider in himself. He simply needs to be constant, all of us do on the Dragons.

“He’s received an ego and that huge head while you stroll by the door however typically you need that out of your gamers however he has to make use of it in the best method. He reacts higher while you’re straight with him.

“We senior blokes give it to him a good bit however he’s a superb child – he respects that. When he crosses that line, give it to folks, however off the sector be humble. It may be a gee-up however there’s some reality behind it.

“You possibly can pull him again a peg. However my job is to push him and get the perfect out of him. But when he’s firing them the Dragons are a totally completely different aspect.”

The Dragons and Waratahs engaged in some full-blown coaching drills earlier than enjoying a 10-minute recreation with 13 gamers on the sector and an extra 10 minutes with 15 gamers.

Woods, Lomax, de Belin, Tyrell Sloan, Jack Hen, Josh Kerr and Mikaele Ravalawa educated on Monday for St George Illawarra, as did Waratahs star Kurtley Beale.

DRAGONS STARS SEPARATED AT TRAINING AS TEMPERS FLARE

—Fatima Kdouh, Wilson Smith

The Dragons are respiration fireplace within the pre-season with tensions boiling over throughout an opposed session on a three-day camp on the NSW south coast.

A St George Illawarra fan captured the second teammates needed to separate Zac Lomax and Junior Amone in the course of the one hour open coaching run.

It’s believed Lomax took exception to a forceful hit from Amone. However the kids shortly moved on from the incident, burying the hatchet.

That sort of ardour and stage of depth at coaching from gamers in the course of the summer season will little question be seen as constructive indicators by Pink V followers.

In April, Lomax was hit with a $1,000 fantastic for opposite conduct after leaping on the again of former teammate and Newcastle ahead Tyson Frizell throughout a attempt celebration.

Frizell didn’t take too kindly to the additional consideration from Lomax, sparking a melee.

The Dragons returned to their residence base in Wollongong on Friday earlier than travelling to Sydney on Monday for an opposed session with the NSW Waratahs at NSW Rugby’s shiny new $20m centre of excellence in Daceyville.

Initially revealed as NRL 2023: Dragons star Aaron Woods lifts lid on Zac Lomax, Junior Amone coaching scuffle