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Nathan Merritt
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Nathan Merritt (born 26 May 1983) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative winger, he played in the National Rugby League for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with whom he won the 2014 NRL Premiership, and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Merritt has also played representative football for the City New South Wales, Indigenous All Stars and Prime Minister's XIII sides. A prolific try-scorer, he was the NRL's top try-scorer in 2006 and 2011, and in 2013 became the 9th player in the history of the League to score 150 tries.

Key Information

Background

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Born in Sydney, Merritt is an Indigenous Australian who grew up on The Block in Redfern, South Sydney. He played his early football in the South Sydney Juniors competition for the Alexandria Rovers.

Professional playing career

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2000s

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His first-grade debut was for the South Sydney Rabbitohs against the New Zealand Warriors at Ericsson Stadium in round 9 of the 2002 NRL season, scoring a try on debut. At the end of the 2003 season Merritt agreed to terms with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks where he was to play for the next two years. In the 2005 season, Merritt endured a tough year. He played only three first grade games for the Cronulla club, but was a stand-out player in the lower grade NSWRL Premier League matches for Newtown, scoring almost 300 points for the year.

In one game against the Windsor Wolves, he scored 40 points (including five tries). At the end of the season, Merritt picked up a number of awards including Newtown RLFC VB Premier League Players' Player award, as well as having the distinction of being Newtown's highest season point scorer, as well as most points in a game.[4] (as of 2005). His outstanding showing that year was rewarded when his old club South Sydney offered him a two-year contract to play in the NRL.

For the 2006 NRL season, Merritt rejoined the South Sydney club and was a standout performer in an underachieving side all year, being one of only three players to play all 24 games for the club. He was the highest try scorer for the 2006 season with 22 tries, beating Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles' fullback Brett Stewart who scored 20.

It was the first time since Nathan Blacklock in 2000 that the leading try scorer in a season played for a club that missed the finals, and the first time in Australian rugby league history that the leading try scorer in a season played for the club that finished last on the competition ladder. Notably, in the first three rounds of the season Merritt scored a try in the final minute of each game, a feat that had never been achieved in three consecutive games. Merritt's hard work and great performances through the year culminated in the announcement that he had earned his first representative honor, to play for the Prime Minister's XIII on their annual end of season tour to Papua New Guinea, the only South Sydney player to make in the squad. The Australians beat the Papua New Guinea Kumuls 28–8, with Merritt one of the try-scorers. He was also included in the train-on squad for the Kangaroos squad for the 2006 Tri-Nations tournament against England and New Zealand, but missed out on a starting position.

Merritt representing the Rabbitohs in the USA in 2008
Merrit playing for the North Sydney Bears in 2012

Following the announcement of the City Origin squad in 2007, Merritt hinted that his non-selection was possibly due to "a Souths thing or a racial thing". This comment was lambasted and in rebuttal to this comment critics pointed to the selection of Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne (Fiji) and Canterbury-Bankstown's Hazem El Masri (Lebanon) as evidence that selections had not been racially motivated.[5] The South Sydney club eventually made the finals for the first time since 1989 but Merritt was injured in the second-last round of the competition so was unable to play in the match they ultimately lost to Manly-Warringah.

Merritt scored a hat-trick to begin the 2009 season against the Sydney Roosters in a match Souths won 52–12. In round 10 Merritt was responsible for one of the most iconic moments in modern rugby league. With less than 10 seconds left in the Heritage Round match against the Wests Tigers at the Rugby League's spiritual home of the SCG he kicked a field goal to win the game for South Sydney, 23–22. This was the only field goal he ever kicked in his career. The fact Souths came from 12 points behind late in the game, it was Heritage Round, the game was at the SCG, it was in the final moments in the game and he had never kicked a field goal all contributed to the aura surrounding this moment and the legacy it has produced. At the 2009 Dally M Awards, he was awarded the Peter Frilingos Memorial Award for Headline Moment of the Year for the field goal.

Merritt's great experiences at the Sydney Cricket Ground continued in 2010 when he scored a hat-trick, once again against the Wests Tigers in Heritage Round.

2010s

[edit]

On 8 August 2011 Merritt equalled the South Sydney club record of five tries in a match when he scored five against the Parramatta at ANZ Stadium in a 56–6 win, joining greats such as Harold Horder, Johnny Graves and Ian Moir to have scored five tries in a match for the South Sydney club. He followed this up just six days later with a three try performance against the Canberra Raiders at Canberra Stadium and in doing so he became the first player since former Canberra fullback Brett Mullins in 1994 to score eight tries within eight days in the NRL.

Merritt's haul also saw him become clear leading try scorer for the 2011 NRL season with 21 from 21 games, six tries more than Canterbury's Ben Barba with four rounds left to play before the Finals. After the regular season Merritt finished on 23 tries for the year [equal with Barba], a personal best with his previous best being 22 in 2006. After his brilliant form in 2011, Merritt was again selected to play for the Prime Minister's XIII against Papua New Guinea.

During the 2012 All Stars Match Merritt scored two tries and was awarded the Preston Campbell Medal for Man of the Match. At the end of the 2012 season in which he crossed for 14 tries in 19 games to be South Sydney's second highest try scorer behind rookie winger Andrew Everingham (17 from 25 games).

This ended Merritt's streak of being South Sydney's top try-scorer for the season which extended back to 2006. He finally played in his first finals match, in the first week of the finals against the Melbourne Storm at AAMi Park. Although South Sydney lost, they played in the next week of the finals, however Merritt injured himself in the lead-up to the game and was not able play in South Sydney's first finals victory in 24 years. Merritt was included in the Australian train-on squad for the end of season test against New Zealand in Townsville, but once again he was not one of the 17 selected for the match.

On 18 June 2013, Merritt was selected to make his State of Origin debut for NSW in Game 2 of the 2013 State of Origin series following the suspension of Blake Ferguson. His performance was widely criticised and he was dropped for the following game, never to play for NSW again. South Sydney made the finals for the second consecutive year and Merritt played in their victory against Melbourne, marking the first and only finals win of his career. He scored a try in South Sydney's following game which they lost to Manly, meaning they failed to make the Grand Final.

On 27 September 2013, Merritt equaled Benny Wearing's record for the most number of tries scored (144) by an individual while playing for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and broke this record with his 145th try, scoring against Penrith at Centrebet Stadium on 11 April 2014.

Merritt was dropped for South Sydney's 2014 ANZAC Day match against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium. His replacement, Alex Johnston, cemented his spot in South Sydney's team and Merritt only played intermittently for the remainder of the season. On 24 September 2014, Merritt announced his retirement from rugby league.He finished his career as the highest South Sydney try-scorer and the second most games played for the club in a history stretching back to 1908. Despite being part of the 2014 South Sydney squad, he did not attend the Grand Final, which Souths went on to win, instead choosing to play in the annual Koori Knockout.

Outside rugby league

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In 2007, Merritt, along with then-Sydney Roosters star Amos Roberts, appeared in the rap music video for Anthony Mundine's "Platinum Ryder" single. US hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg - said to be a Rabbitohs fan - has reportedly named Merritt as his favourite NRL player.

At the press conference announcing his retirement, Merritt announced he was beginning a charity called the Nathan Merritt Foundation aimed at helping youths in Redfern.

On 7 October 2023, Merritt was placed on life support at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.[6] He made a full recovery.

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Nathan Merritt

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Nathan Deane Merritt (born 26 May 1983) is an Australian former professional footballer of Indigenous Australian heritage who primarily played as a winger for the in the (NRL). Renowned for his finishing ability, Merritt retired in 2014 as the Rabbitohs' all-time leading try-scorer with 146 tries across 218 matches, surpassing the previous record held by Benny Wearing. He represented in one game in 2009 and appeared for the and Indigenous All Stars teams. Born in Sydney to a family with Rabbitohs ties—his grandfather Eric Robinson was a club winger in the 1960s—Merritt debuted for Souths in 2004 after stints with the North Sydney Bears and Brisbane Broncos. Post-retirement, he has encountered significant personal difficulties, including a 2023 medical emergency that left him on life support before recovery and 2025 charges for assault, affray, and high-range drink-driving.

Early life

Family and Indigenous heritage

Nathan Merritt is an Aboriginal Australian who grew up in the Redfern area of , a community with deep Indigenous roots and strong ties to through clubs like the Redfern All Blacks. His heritage reflects the broader history of Aboriginal participation in the sport, particularly in Sydney's inner-city suburbs, where family networks have sustained involvement in local and representative teams such as the NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout carnival. Merritt's maternal grandfather, Eric Robinson, was a Bundjalung man from Barayulgil, , who played 42 first-grade games as a winger for the between 1961 and 1964, scoring 18 tries, and later became a life member of the club and an honorary elder in Redfern's Babana Aboriginal Men's Group. His paternal grandfather, Ron Merritt, served as a coach and committee member for the Redfern All Blacks since the 1970s and was a life member of the club, contributing to its success in the Knockout competition during the mid-2000s. Merritt's father, Tony Merritt, debuted for the Redfern All Blacks in 1980 and played until 2008, including alongside his son Nathan in the 1998 or 1999 Knockout at age 15; his mother is Tracey Robinson. This family lineage underscores a multigenerational commitment to within Aboriginal communities, with Merritt's cousins Reece and Travis Robinson also advancing to professional NRL levels, the former with multiple clubs and the latter with and . The Merritts' involvement exemplifies how Indigenous families in Redfern have preserved cultural and sporting traditions amid urban challenges.

Junior career

Nathan Merritt began his rugby league career in the local junior competitions of 's inner south, growing up in the Redfern area and playing for the Rovers club in the South Sydney District competition. He also represented Moore Park in early junior grades before progressing to representative levels. Merritt joined the ' junior representative system, competing in the SG Ball Cup under-19s competition after being selected for the team. He played junior representative matches for the club from 1999 to 2001, establishing himself as a promising winger known for his speed and try-scoring ability. In 2001, Merritt earned international selection for the Australian under-21 side at the Junior World Cup (now known as the Under-21 World Cup), marking a significant early achievement in his development. This exposure highlighted his potential amid South Sydney's rebuilding efforts following their return to the in 2002.

Professional club career

Debut and 2000s

Merritt made his (NRL) debut for the on 28 April 2002, in round 9 against the at Ericsson Stadium, where the Rabbitohs lost 18–25; he scored a try in the match. In his debut season, the 18-year-old winger appeared in seven first-grade games for South Sydney, scoring two tries. He had previously debuted in a senior tour match for South Sydney against the in 2000, scoring a try as a 17-year-old. The following year, in 2003, Merritt solidified his role with the Rabbitohs, playing 16 games and scoring 10 tries. Ahead of the 2004 season, he transferred to the , where he featured in 16 matches and crossed for six tries. His time at Cronulla extended into 2005, but appearances were limited to three games with two tries scored before he returned to South Sydney. Rejoining the Rabbitohs in 2006, Merritt emerged as a prolific try-scorer, registering 22 tries in 24 games to lead the NRL in that category for the season despite South Sydney finishing last. He added 13 goals for 114 points that year. His form continued into 2007 with 10 tries across 22 games and 2008 with 13 tries in 24 outings. By 2009, Merritt notched 19 tries in 23 appearances, establishing himself as a key attacking weapon on the wing.

2010s and peak achievements

In the early 2010s, Merritt continued as a key winger for the , scoring 16 tries in 24 appearances during the , including a match-winning long-range against the that earned him the Dally M Headline Moment of the Year award. His form peaked in 2011, when he led the NRL in try-scoring with 23 tries across 22 games, tying the club single-season record held by since 1953. That year, he also equaled the Rabbitohs' individual match record by scoring five tries in a single game against on August 8. For his contributions, Merritt received the George Piggins Medal as the club's player and represented the Australian . Merritt's output remained strong amid occasional injuries, with 14 tries in 19 games in 2012 and 15 tries in 25 games in , the latter milestone pushing his career total to 150 NRL tries as the ninth player to reach that mark. In 2014, despite playing only 12 games due to injury, he achieved his career pinnacle by surpassing Benny Wearing's 81-year-old club record of 144 tries; his 146th try came in an 18-2 win over on April 11. The Rabbitohs' success that season culminated in their first premiership since 1971, a title Merritt contributed to before retiring at season's end after 236 games and 154 career tries.

Retirement

Nathan Merritt announced his retirement from the on 24 September 2014, concluding his career at the end of the 2014 season after 13 years exclusively with the . He departed as the club's all-time leading try-scorer with 146 tries in 237 games, a record surpassing Wearing's long-standing mark achieved earlier that season against Penrith in round six. The decision stemmed from diminished first-grade opportunities in , where Merritt featured in just two NRL matches following his record-breaking try, as coach Michael Maguire prioritized rookie winger Alex Johnston. He spent significant time in the New South Wales Cup with the Rabbitohs' feeder club, , which missed the finals and concluded its season a week before Merritt's announcement, leaving him without competitive play for a month. Although offered a one-year extension, Merritt opted to retire on his terms, citing physical and mental readiness limitations over prolonging his tenure in reserve grades. He also expressed intent to prioritize family and launch the Nathan Merritt Foundation for Indigenous youth programs in Redfern. Rabbitohs officials lauded Merritt's loyalty, leadership, and role in fostering club culture, with captain John Sutton and teammate crediting him for foundational contributions to the team's success, including their 2014 premiership win shortly after his exit.

Representative career

State of Origin

Nathan Merritt made his sole State of Origin appearance for the in Game 2 of the 2013 series on June 26 at Suncorp Stadium in . Selected at the age of 30 following the suspension of Blake Ferguson, Merritt earned the opportunity after 12 seasons in the NRL without prior representative honors at that level, despite scoring 130 tries for South Sydney by that point. He started on the wing in a side that lost 26–6 to , marking NSW's first win in Game 2 since 2005 but ultimately insufficient to prevent securing the series with a prior Game 1 victory. Merritt's performance drew criticism for defensive lapses, including being involved in three tries conceded, as exploited mismatches on his edge during a dominant second-half display. He recorded limited attacking contributions, with no tries, assists, or line breaks, reflecting the high-pressure environment where his club form as a prolific finisher did not translate against Origin-caliber defense. The debut, while fulfilling a long-held ambition expressed earlier in the year, led to his omission from the Game 3 decider squad, with selectors opting for other options amid NSW's series defeat. Despite the outcome, Merritt's selection highlighted his persistence as an Indigenous winger from Sydney's south, though he never featured in Origin again.

Indigenous and other teams

Merritt represented the Indigenous All Stars three times in the annual All Stars matches, showcasing his skills as a winger for the team comprising players of Aboriginal and Islander heritage. In the 2012 match against the NRL All Stars on February 4 at Suncorp Stadium, he delivered a standout performance, scoring two tries and earning the Medal as for his contributions in the Indigenous side's 28-36 loss. Beyond Indigenous representation, Merritt played for the on two occasions, a invitational team that annually faces 's Prime Minister's XIII. He featured in the 2006 fixture and again in 2011 during the tour to on October 8, where the Australian side secured a 30-0 victory. These appearances highlighted his selection among Australia's top performers outside of full international duty.

Records and statistics

Club records with South Sydney Rabbitohs

Nathan Merritt set the ' all-time record for most career tries during his tenure with the club, amassing 146 tries across 218 first-grade appearances from 2004 to 2014. He achieved this milestone on 11 April 2014, scoring the decisive try in a 18-2 victory over the to surpass Benny Wearing's previous record of 144 tries, which had stood since 1937. This total encompassed 146 premiership tries, with an additional four in finals matches, establishing him as the club's leading try-scorer at the time of his retirement. In addition to his career aggregate, Merritt shares the club record for the most tries scored in a single match, achieving five tries on 8 August 2011 in a 56-6 win against the . This performance highlighted his finishing ability on the wing and contributed to one of the highest team scores in Rabbitohs history during that game. While not the sole holder of the single-game mark—previously matched by players such as Ray Branighan—Merritt's haul remains tied for the highest in club records. Merritt's try-scoring prowess extended to consistent season outputs, including 21 tries in and 23 in , though these did not individually eclipse the club's single-season record of 25 tries set by Alex Johnston in 2018. His overall contributions ranked him fourth in club history for games played with 218, underscoring his longevity and reliability for South Sydney. The records he established, particularly the career tries benchmark, endured until 2022 when surpassed by Alex Johnston, affirming Merritt's status as a benchmark for wingers in Rabbitohs lore.

Individual NRL achievements

Nathan Merritt established himself as one of the NRL's premier try-scorers during his career, amassing a total of 154 tries across 237 appearances from 2002 to 2014. His finishing ability on the wing was particularly notable, with peak seasons yielding 22 tries in 2006 and 23 in 2011, both times leading the competition in that category. In 2009, Merritt achieved a rare individual feat by scoring five tries in a single match against the on August 8, joining an elite group of players to accomplish this in the NRL. That same year, he earned the Peter Frilingos Memorial Award for Headline Moment of the Year at the for a clutch that secured a victory for South Sydney. Merritt reached the milestone of 150 career tries in 2013, becoming the ninth player in NRL history to do so and underscoring his consistency as a scorer over more than a decade. He also represented the Indigenous All Stars in 2010, highlighting his standing among elite performers.

Post-retirement life

Community and coaching roles

Following his retirement from the (NRL) in September 2014, Nathan Merritt maintained strong ties to the ' charitable initiatives as an ambassador for Souths Cares, the club's community foundation focused on youth development, , and Indigenous support programs. In this capacity, he piloted the Deadly Rabbitohs Program at Crown Street Public School during Term 2 of an unspecified year in the mid-2010s, delivering rugby league-based activities aimed at engaging Indigenous students in physical activity and cultural pride. He also joined fellow ambassador Beau Champion in visiting Redfern Jarjum College for Cultural Day events, interacting with students to promote community values through sport. Merritt extended his community outreach to broader NRL efforts, participating in a 2015 wellbeing campaign that targeted over 250,000 schoolchildren across 900 NSW schools with messages on and exercise, leveraging his profile as a former player to encourage healthy lifestyles among youth. In March 2015, he addressed senior players and committees at local clubs, delivering talks on , football, and the Tackling Violence initiative to combat domestic and community aggression. By June 2019, alongside mentor , he attended the RMS Aboriginal Traineeship Familiarisation Day, supporting Indigenous employment pathways through Souths Cares networking events. In Indigenous rugby league circles, Merritt remained active with the Redfern All Blacks, the historic Aboriginal club where his family has deep roots spanning generations; he continued playing for the team post-NRL retirement, including appearances at the annual Koori Knockout carnival, with his final documented participation in the 2023 event at . This involvement underscores his ongoing commitment to grassroots Indigenous sport, though no formal coaching positions with the club or elsewhere have been publicly documented.

Health challenges and recovery

In October 2023, Nathan Merritt suffered a life-threatening when he was found unresponsive at his aunt's home in , leading to his admission to where he was placed on . The incident stemmed from double , exacerbated by an adverse reaction to prescribed painkillers, which induced a week-long . Family members described his initial condition as critical, with his sister noting slight improvements by but emphasizing the ongoing severity. Merritt awoke from the coma on October 13, 2023, and was able to speak with his father shortly thereafter, marking a turning point in his acute phase of treatment. By October 23, he had progressed to getting out of bed and engaging in conversations, though full recovery remained uncertain. The diagnosis was later confirmed publicly by Merritt himself in May 2024, dispelling earlier speculations about other causes. Recovery involved intensive rehabilitation, with Merritt relearning to walk after the coma-induced muscle atrophy and weakness. By mid-2024, he had returned to public view, expressing gratitude for his survival and crediting medical intervention and family support for his progress, though he acknowledged the ordeal's proximity to fatality. As of that time, Merritt continued outpatient recovery, focusing on rebuilding physical strength while resuming limited community engagements with the .

Personal life

Family and legacy in rugby league

Nathan Merritt hails from a family with deep roots in Indigenous , spanning three generations and closely tied to the Redfern All Blacks and . His paternal grandfather, Ron Merritt, was a life member, coach, and committee member of the Redfern All Blacks, contributing to the club's success including multiple Koori Knockout wins. His maternal grandfather, Eric Robinson, played as a star centre for in the 1960s, scoring 18 tries in 42 first-grade games and earning life membership with the club. Merritt's father, Tony Merritt, represented the Redfern All Blacks from 1980 to 2008, featuring in teams that secured four Koori Knockout victories as part of the Cec Patten-Ron Merritt Memorial side. Merritt's extended family includes cousins Reece Robinson, who played NRL for the , , and before switching to , and twin Travis Robinson, who competed in the NRL for the and . This lineage underscores a tradition of excellence in Indigenous and South Sydney circles, with multiple relatives contributing to club honors and community fixtures like the Koori Knockout. Merritt himself extended this family legacy through his professional career with the Rabbitohs, playing 218 games and becoming the club's all-time leading try-scorer with 146 tries, surpassing Wearing's record of 144 on 11 April 2014. His achievements, including leading the NRL in tries scored in (22 tries) and scoring five tries in a single game against in 2011, cemented his status as a club icon and earned him life membership in 2015. Beyond statistics, Merritt demonstrated that players of smaller stature—standing at 178 cm and weighing around 85 kg—could thrive as elite wingers, inspiring subsequent generations amid an era favoring larger physiques. The Merritt legacy persists through his son, Jalen Merritt, who plays in the Redfern All Blacks' Under-12s team, maintaining the family's involvement in junior development and community . Post-retirement, Nathan Merritt has continued coaching and participating with Redfern All Blacks, ensuring the tradition's continuity in Indigenous rugby pathways.

References

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  45. https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/souths-great-nathan-merritt-wakes-up-from-coma-speaks-to-father/news-story/6e1fd31deac71542036d2151ab99793f
  46. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nrl/article-13454683/Nathan-Merritt-mystery-deadly-ailment-coma-hospital-pneumonia-Souths-Bunnies-Rabbitohs.html
  47. https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/rabbitohs-legend-nathan-merritt-on-life-support-20231007-p5eagz.html
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