Rabbitohs cult hero rushed to hospital, put on life support

South Sydney has made a public comment after cult hero Nathan Merritt was rushed to hospital and put on life support.

NRL great Nathan Merritt. Picture: Stewart McLean

South Sydney has confirmed club legend Nathan Merritt is in hospital in a serious condition.

The Daily Telegraph first reported the Rabbitohs winger is on life support after being rushed to hospital.

Merritt is reported to have been visiting his auntie’s house in Sydney where he collapsed. Merritt was found unresponsive and was rushed to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown on Friday afternoon.

The report reveals Merritt played in the incident-plagued Koori Knockout event last weekend on the NSW Central Coast where Bulldogs star Josh Addo-Carr was involved in a punch up.

According to News Corp, onlookers at the event have claimed Merritt suffered a concussion during one game.

Merritt has previously played for the same Sydney All Blacks team as Addo-Carr at the annual rugby league event.

The 40-year-old retired in 2014 as one of the most popular players the club has fielded since the turn of the century.

The prolific try scorer ended his 237-game NRL career with 154 tries.

He is among the club’s most celebrated figures after breaking Benny Wearing’s 81-year-old try-scoring record at the club.

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly has made a brief public comment.

“Nathan is in the thoughts and prayers of every Rabbitoh at the moment,” he said.

NRL great Nathan Merritt. Picture: Stewart McLean

Tony Abbott, Rabbitohs Legend Nathan Merritt and Anthony Albanese.

Merritt was the league’s leading tryscorer for three seasons and was the 9th player in the history of the sport to score 150 total tries.

Merritt made two appearances for the PM’s XIII and scored two tries as well as three games for the Indigenous All-Stars.

He made his only appearance for New South Wales in Game Two of the 2013 State of Origin series.

His retirement in 2014 was a sad moment for the proud club.

Merritt grew up in Redfern and played his junior football with Alexandria Rovers in the South Sydney junior competition. He used his retirement announcement to launch the Nathan Merritt Foundation, which provided support and mentoring for Indigenous youngsters in Sydney.

Merritt is a proud Indigenous man and the proud father of five children, twins Jade and Jalen, 19, Nakeeya, 15, and twins Honey and Anthony, 9.

Merritt singles out his children and wife Faith in his retirement announcement.

Nathan Merritt and children Jalen, Nakeeya, Nathan and Jade.

Nathan Merritt celebrates with John Sutton.

“I absolutely love playing for South Sydney. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little kid jumping the fence at Redfern Oval to watch guys like Mario Fenech and Craig Coleman run around,” Merritt said.

“But the time has come to call it a day and move on to the next stage of my career, setting up my Foundation and supporting the people in Redfern and the South Sydney community.

“I want to thank my wonderful wife Faith and my kids Jade, Jalen, Nakeeya, Anthony and Honey; my coaches and team mates right from my first game for the Alexandria Rovers to today at the Rabbitohs; all of the staff, sponsors and board members over the years from both the Rabbitohs and Souths Juniors; and the Members and fans of the Rabbitohs for the support they’ve given me throughout my career.

“I hope I’ve done you proud, and I will always consider myself to be a Rabbitoh.

“I’m still very much part of this year’s squad and we still have plenty of work to do this year, and I’m looking forward to being part of it, and I’m also looking forward to starting this next part of my career.”