With no regrets, Zac Lomax concedes he is switching codes as a rugby "novice" in an audacious quest to become a dual international and play in next year's home World Cup.
While refusing to completely close the door on his NRL career, Lomax on Tuesday committed his future to the 15-man game and declared he was joining the rugby ranks at the peak of his career.
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But having last played rugby in primary school, the 26-year-old is realistic about his place in the pecking order ahead of his potential Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Western Force this month against the Chiefs.
"It's a mountain that I'm at the bottom of and I really want to climb and become the best rugby union player that I possibly can," Lomax told a packed press room at Rugby Australia headquarters in Sydney.
"Realistically, there's so much that I need to learn. I'm a novice to the game."
After walking out first on St George Illawarra then Parramatta to pursue a career in rugby with the global R360 competition, Lomax's bid to join the Melbourne Storm was thwarted in the Supreme Court.
But the former NSW State of Origin winger insists he has no regrets - and stands by all his career calls.
"That's me that made the decisions and it's me that has (to suffer) the consequences. No one else," he said.
"It's my decisions and they're the ones that I've made and it's one that I stick by.
"In regards to that and in regards to the NRL, mate, I've been so thankful and so fortunate enough to be able to have a successful career in the NRL, and I love everything that they've been able to give me and my family.
"I've been able to play the game at the highest level, and that's something that I'm super proud of.
"And the teams that I've played for and with - Parramatta and the Dragons - and I was pursued by the Storm to try and make something happen, but obviously results didn't allow that.
"I'm leaving at the peak of my career in the rugby league tournaments, but it's something that motivates me to essentially (know that) I'm going to start to build the game from the ground up as a player, and that's something that motivates me, and I want to test myself."
Lomax irked league fans on Monday when he declared how excited he was to be heading to a "truly global" code.
But the former Kangaroos World Cup winner insisted the statement was not meant as a parting shot.
"Comments can be taken many different ways but, for me, the reality is that - rugby is a truly global sport. It's played in more than 100 different countries," he said.
"That's something that absolutely attracts me as a player that hasn't been part of rugby or part of the international stage, the travel that they do, the world and what they get to see is absolutely appealing."
