Trent Merrin says Mitch Rein can be reinvigorated by his move to Penrith

TRENT Merrin says he’s confident his housemate and fellow Panther Mitch Rein can follow in his footsteps and reinvigorate his career at the foot of the mountains.

Mitch Rein had a rough season in his last year with the Dragons.

MITCH Rein will replicate Trent Merrin’s move to Penrith in more ways than one with the fellow St George Illawarra discard moving into Merrin’s western Sydney apartment.

Merrin has offered more than just friendly advice to Rein, giving up a room in his apartment while he travels with the Kangaroos squad in England.

The former St George Illawarra teammates will be reunited next year after Rein signed a two-year deal to join the Panthers.

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“He will be staying (at my place) for a bit so he can find his feet and get used to the area and the boys,” Merrin said. “Hopefully he is pretty tidy and he looks after it.

“I’ve been chatting to him. He was a bit like me when I first left the South Coast to head out west.

“You’re in a place you’re not familiar with. You do get uncomfortable and a bit scared, nervous.

“When I found out we did sign him, I was very excited. I can’t wait. He is a good mate of mine. I know how hard he works away from the field. He deserves his second chance.”

Merrin played alongside Rein during the hooker’s debut in 2011. As Illawarra juniors, the duo looked destined for long careers at St George Illawarra until their respective bitter splits.

“I was surprised the way the Dragons treated him the way they did,” Merrin said. “He is a rep calibre player and is a great person.

“When I had the chance to have a good yarn with him, I was upset. The way things went down, as a player and a friend you never want to see that happen to someone you’re close with. I’m happy this has come about.

“Any other player would be blowing up and putting their face in the media and giving the club a mouthful. But he has taken it like a man.”

Rein will battle veteran Peter Wallace for a starting hooking spot. Merrin expects the switch to revitalise Rein, like the move to Penrith had done with his career.

“The biggest thing I’m so excited for is what the club has done for me,” Merrin said. ““I can tell him everything he wants to hear and he can see everything that has happened for me but he needs to go through it.

“We’ve got a great hooker in Peter Wallace. He will get the start over Reiny. It’s a good journey for him to learn under Wall.”

Originally published as Trent Merrin says Mitch Rein can be reinvigorated by his move to Penrith