Lomax jumped ship from the Parramatta Eels and is seeking to join the Storm for the 2026 season through a NSW Supreme Court lawsuit.
The Eels claim the winger knew he would need their permission before tearing up his $700,000-a-year contract and moving to another NRL club.
The Origin representative was allowed to leave in November in a failed bid to join the R360 before the breakaway rugby union competition was postponed.
One of the key witnesses in the lawsuit is Storm chairman Matt Tripp who had planned to watch the NRL opening game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday.
His request to give evidence by audiovisual link from the USA during the trial, which starts on Monday, was rejected during a short court hearing on Tuesday.
He will have to give up a seat in the Las Vegas stadium's luxury chairmans' lounge for the triple-bill extravaganza and instead appear at the NSW Supreme Court to give evidence for hours on Tuesday.
Justice Francois Kunc noted Tripp could then be on a plane to the US and continue his plans to spruik his betting business betr on a country tour that includes Phoenix and New York.
Representing Parramatta, barrister Arthur Moses SC said on Tuesday that Tripp's credit would be under attack during the trial.
The Storm boss had made an implied threat towards the Eels saying the NRL could punish the Eels if it held firm on Lomax by issuing a salary cap, the barrister said.
The NRL had denied saying this, he noted.
"Did (Tripp) make it up? Or who's telling the truth?" Mr Moses asked.
Parramatta will also probe claims by Tripp that Peter V'Landys, who oversees rugby league in Australia, had called the Eels "unreasonable".
The Storm chairman also alleged the Australian Rugby League Commission chairman promised to register Lomax's contract regardless of what happened with the Eels, Mr Moses said.
It has sought documents showing the NRL offered these kinds of assurances as they would explain why the Storm had such confidence, the barrister said.
"They seem to think they can proceed down their merry way without the views of Parramatta," he told the court.
The Eels will also have to provide contracts and deeds of release for six other players to Lomax's legal team.
The winger hopes to compare his situation with others allowed to play with rival clubs to see if the restriction on who he signs up with is unreasonable and invalid.
Communications within the Eels about whether any top 30 NRL players could replace Lomax will also have to be handed over.
Melbourne has indemnified Lomax, meaning it will be on the hook to pay a hefty legal bill if he loses the lawsuit.Â
The club has made three separate offers to Parramatta to try to free Lomax to play this season.
All have been rejected.
Most recently, Melbourne offered Parramatta $300,000 for the 26-year-old to play for them this season, with $211,000 of that in salary-cap relief.
The court battle means the winger has no chance to play for the Storm against the Eels in round one.
Lomax, a three-cap Australian international who scored five tries in six Origin games for the Blues, only joined the Eels for the 2025 season after seeking a release from the final two seasons of his contract with the Dragons.
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