23 Facts About Nathan Merritt

Nathan Merritt was born on 26 May 1983 and is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s.

Nathan Merritt played his early football in the South Sydney Juniors competition for the Alexandria Rovers.

Nathan Merritt 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.

Nathan Merritt's outstanding showing that year was rewarded when his old club South Sydney offered him a two-year contract to play in the NRL.

Nathan Merritt was the highest try scorer for the 2006 season with 22 tries, beating Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles' fullback Brett Stewart who scored 20.

Notably, in the first three rounds of the season Nathan Merritt scored a try in the final minute of each game, a feat that had never been achieved in three consecutive games.

Nathan Merritt was 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.

The South Sydney club eventually made the finals for the first time since 1989 but Nathan 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.

In round 10 Nathan Merritt was responsible for one of the most iconic moments in modern rugby league.

Nathan Merritt 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.

Nathan Merritt's haul 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.

Nathan Merritt finally played in his first finals match, in the first week of the finals against the Melbourne Storm at AAMi Park.

Nathan Merritt was included in the Australian train-on squad for the end of season test against New Zealand in Townsville, but he was not one of the 17 selected for the match.

On 18 June 2013, Nathan 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.

Nathan Merritt's 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 Nathan Merritt played in their victory against Melbourne, marking the first and only finals win of his career.

Nathan Merritt 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, Nathan Merritt equaled Benny Wearing's record for the most number of tries scored 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.

Nathan Merritt was dropped for South Sydney's 2014 ANZAC Day match against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.

On 24 September 2014, Nathan Merritt announced his retirement from rugby league.

Nathan Merritt 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.

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, Nathan Merritt was placed on life support at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.