Nathan Merritt
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Nathan Merritt (born May 26, 1983 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League competition he has also previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. His position of choice is either on the wing or at fullback. His first-grade debut was for the South Sydney Rabbitohs against the New Zealand Warriors at Ericsson Stadium, May 12, 2002 (Round 9).
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[edit] 2005 Season
In the 2005 season, Merritt endured a tough year. He played only three first grade games for the Cronulla Sharks, but was a stand-out player in the lower grade Premier League matches for the Newtown Jets, scoring almost 300 points for the year. His outstanding showing that year was rewarded when his old club the South Sydney Rabbitohs offered him a two-year contract to play first grade.
[edit] 2006 Season
In 2006, Merritt re-joined the Rabbitohs after a breif stint at the Cronulla Sharks. He was a stand-out performer in an underacheiving side all year, and was one of only three players to play all 24 games for the Rabbitohs that year. In September the same year, Nathan's hard work and great performances through the year culminated in the announcement that Nathan had earned his first representative honour, to play for the Prime Minister's XVII. Merritt was the only South Sydney player to be included in the squad. The Australian team beat the Papua New Guinean team 28-8, with Merritt one of the try-scorers. He was also included in the train-on squad for the Kangaroos squad for the Tri-Nations tounament against England and New Zealand, but missed out on a starting position.
He was the highest try scorer for the 2006 season with 22 tries, beating Manly Sea Eagles star Brett Stewart who scored 20. It was the first time in Rugby League history that the leading tryscorer in a season came from the club that ran last that year.
[edit] Career highlights
- Junior Club: Alexandria Rovers
- First Grade Debut: Round 9, Souths v Warriors at Ericsson Stadium, May 12, 2002
- First Grade Record: 42 appearances scoring 20 tries & 6 goals
