Merritt is a one time South Sydney premiership winning squad member in 2014.
Merritt is a South Sydney junior who played with the Alexandria Rovers. He played junior reps with South Sydney between 1999 and 2001.Merritt made his first grade and senior grade debut in the first fightback tour game in 2000 against the USA at Redfern Oval, as a 17 year old, where he scored 2 tries. After South Sydney were re-admitted to the first grade premiership competition, he made his first grade premiership debut in the Round 9 2002 clash against the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.
Merritt spent two seasons with Cronulla, where is scored 282 for their feeder club Newtown in 2005, including 40 points in one game in reserve grade, before he was lured back to South Sydney.
Merritt was a small in stature footballer, who knew how to sniff out a try scoring opportunity.
Merritt was a prolific try scorer who could kick goals. He scored 150 first grade club game tries, which included a then record 146 first grade premiership game tries. He scored 5 tries in the 2011 Round 22 clash against Parramatta. Merritt in 2006 and 2011 was the NRL leading try scorer. In 2014 Merritt became South Sydney's greatest premiership try scorer after suprasing Benny Wearing, a record he would hold until 2022. He scored 169 senior grade tries, including 165 senior grade premiership tries.
Merritt played 12 senior seasons with South Sydney. He played 221 first grade club games with South Sydney which included 218 first grade premiership games. He played 248 senior grade games with South Sydney, which included 245 senior grade premiership games. He also played an additional 6 senior grade premiership games for South Sydney feeder team the North Sydney. He also played 5 short form(7s/9s) games for South Sydney.
Merritt scored 669 first grade points for South Sydney, which included 653 first grade premiership points. He scored 779 senior grade points, which included 763 senior grade premiership points.
Merritt played his final first grade premiership and senior grade game for South Sydney in the 2014 Round 17 clash against the Gold Coast at Stadium Australia. He would play two more game for South Sydney's reserve grade feeder team North Sydney in 2014, before retiring.
Merritt played 8 representative games while at South Sydney, playing his first representative game for the Australian Prime Ministers XIII against Papua New Guinea in 2006. He played for the Australian Indigenous teams between 2010 and 2012, 2 games for Sydney Origin and one game for New South Wales Origin in 2013, his final representative game while at South Sydney.
In 2006 and 2011 Merritt was named in the Top 5 players of the game in the David Middleton Big Annual. In 2010 Merritt won the Dally M headline moment of the year, for his long range fieldgoal, his first and only fieldgoal, to win the game against the Wests-Tigers at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In 2011 he was awarded the George Piggins Medal for being the best and fairest first grade player at South Sydney. Upon his retirement in 2014, Merritt was award Life Membership at South Sydney. Then in 2020, Merritt was named on the wing in the Indigenous Team of the Decade(2010s).
Player Relatives
Grandfather - Robinson, Eric
Uncle - Walford, Ricky (Easts/Norths/St George)
Cousin - Robinson, Travis
Cousin - Robinson, Reece
Playing - Height / Weight
181cm / 90kg
Representative Qualification
Indigenous
NSW City
Date of Birth
Sydney - 26th May 1983
South Sydney Junior Club
Alexandria Rovers
Previous Clubs First Grade : Lower Grades
M T G FG Pt : M T G FG Pt
Cronulla (2004-05) 19 8 6 - 44 :
Newtown (2005) : 282 (Lower Grades) [includes 40 points in one game]
Playing Career at South Sydney (2002-14)
South Sydney First Grade Debut
2000 Tour1 Redf v USA (17y 85d)
2002 Rd09 MtSm v Warriors (Premiership - 18y 351d)
First Grade
Premiership : Tour
M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts
2000 : 2 2 - 4 - - 16
2001 : 1 - (1) - - - -
2002 7 5 (2) 2 - - 8
2003 16 16 - 10 1/4 - 42
2006 24 24 - 22+ 13/24 - 114
2007 22 22 - 10 17/26 - 74
2008 24 24 - 13 3/5 - 58
2009 23 23 - 19 - 1 77
2010 24 24 - 16 - - 64
2011 22 22 - 23+ - - 92
2012 19 19 - 14 - - 56
2013 25 25 - 15 - - 60
2014 12 12 - 2 - - 8
TOTAL 218 216 (2)146 34/59 1 653 : 3 2 (1) 4 - - 16
SS FG 221 218 (3)150 34/59 1 669
+ - Top NRL Try Scorer
Lower Grades : Juniors
Reserve Grade : U20 : (U18) SG Ball Cup : (U16) Harold Matthews Cup
Year M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts
1999 : : : . . . -. -. -. -.
2000 : : . . . 1 - - 4
2001 : 6 6 - 5 - - 20 : . . . -. -. -. -.
2002 12 12 - 6 - - 24 : 2 1 (1) - - - -
2003 7 7 - 6 21 - 66 : - - - - - - -
2006 - - - - - - - :
2007 - - - - - - - :
2008 - - - - - - - :
2009 - - - - - - - :
2010 - - - - - - - :
2011 - - - - - - - :
2012 1 1 - 1 - - 4 :
2013 - - - - - - - :
2014 5 5 - 1 - - 4 :
TOTAL 19 19 - 12 21 - 90 : 8 7 (1) 5 - - 20 : . . . 1. -. -. 4. : . . . -. -. -. -.
South Sydney Senior(FG/RG/3G) Grade Career
Premiership : All Matches
M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
CAREER 245 240 (5)165 55 1 763 : 248 242 (6)169 55 1 779
CAREER 251 246 (5)167 55 1 771 : 254 248 (6)171 55 1 787 (incl. Bears)
Short Form
7s : 9s
M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts
2003 1 - - 4 :
2014 : 4 4 - 2 - - 8
TOTAL 1 - - 4 : 4 4 - 2 - - 8
SS SF 3 - - 12
Match Statistics at South Sydney
2012 FG Statistics
Min Tac Pe MT LB HU DR m Er OL K TA T G/A FG
Rd08 LWng Nth Qld 80 3 - 2 - 9 2 63 - - 1 - - - -
Rd09 LWng Cronulla 80 - 1 1 1 8 1 131 1 - - - 2 - -
Rd11 Flbk St Geo-Ill 82 5 - - 1 18 3 162 2 - - - - - -
Rd12 RWng Canberra 80 2 - 1 1 8 2 67 - - - - - - -
Rd13 RWng Canterbury 80 2 - 1 - 12 2 116 2 - - - - - -
Rd15 RWng Parramatta 80 4 - 1 - 12 4 74 - - - - 1 - -
Rd16 RWng Brisbane 80 4 - 1 - 11 4 162 - 1 - - 1 - -
Rd17 Flbk Penrith 80 5 - 1 3 12 - 137 1 - 1 - 2 - -
Rd18 LWng Newcastle 80 - - - - 10 1 57 - - - - - - -
Rd19 LWng Sydney 80 1 - 3 - 13 1 171 - - - - 2 - -
Rd20 LWng St Geo-Ill 80 7 - 2 2 10 1 89 - - 1 - 3 - -
Rd21 Flbk Wests-Tig 80 2 - - - 14 2 160 - - - - 1 - -
Rd22 Flbk Gold Coast 80 4 - 3 - 9 1 61 - - 1 1 - - -
Rd23 Flbk Manly 80 2 - - - 12 - 97 - 1 1 - - - -
Rd24 LWng Cronulla 80 1 - - - 13 - 142 - 1 - - - - -
Rd25 LWng Parramatta 80 1 - 1 3 11 - 116 - 1 - - 2 - -
Rd26 LWng Newcastle 80 6 - 1 - 10 1 45 1 1 - - - - -
MPSF LWng Melbourne 80 1 - 2 - 13 1 138 1 - 2 - - - -
mF LWng Canterbury 80 7 - 2 - 6 1 50 - - 1 - - - -
2012 TOTALS 1522 57 1 22 11 211 27 2038 8 5 8 1 14 - -
2012 Average Minutes - 80.1
2012 Average Tackles (80 min) - 3.0
2012 Average Runs (80 min) - 11.1
2012 Average Meters per run - 9.7m
2012 Tackling Ability - 72.2%
2013 FG Statistics
Min Tac Pe MT LB HU DR m Er OL K TA T G/A FG
Rd01 LWng Sydney 80 1 - 1 2 11 3 90 - 1 - - 3 - -
Rd02 LWng Cronulla 80 2 1 - - 7 - 73 1 1 - - - - -
Rd03 LWng Penrith 80 - - 1 2 4 - 76 - 1 - - 3 - -
Rd04 LWng Canterbury 80 5 - 3 1 15 1 128 2 1 - 1 1 - -
Rd05 LWng Warriors 80 1 - 2 - 10 - 120 1 1 - - 1 - -
Rd06 LWng Melbourne 80 1 - - - 7 2 102 1 1 1 - - - -
Rd07 LWng Manly 80 6 - 3 - 4 2 32 1 - - - - - -
Rd08 LWng Brisbane 80 - - 1 2 10 3 70 1 - - - 1 - -
Rd09 LWng Nth Qld 80 5 1 - 1 8 1 50 2 - - - 1 - -
Rd10 RWng Wests-Tig 80 3 - 1 - 10 2 100 2 - - - 1 - -
Rd11 RWng Cronulla 80 2 - - - 9 4 69 1 - - - - - -
Rd12 Flbk Newcastle 80 7 - - - 13 - 96 1 - - 1 - - -
Rd14 LWng Gold Coast 80 1 - - 2 8 3 76 - 1 1 - - - -
Rd16 LWng Canberra 80 4 - - 2 11 1 104 - 1 - - 1 - -
Rd17 LWng Warriors 80 4 - 1 - 6 1 31 1 - - - - - -
Rd19 LWng St Geo-Ill 83 5 - - - 4 1 38 - 1 - 1 - - -
Rd20 Flbk Gold Coast 80 2 - - 2 10 - 140 - 1 1 - - - -
Rd21 Flbk Nth Qld 80 7 - 1 - 6 - 61 - 1 - 1 - - -
Rd22 Flbk Melbourne 80 1 - 3 2 10 1 152 - - 1 - - - -
Rd23 LWng Manly 80 8 2 1 1 5 1 31 - - - - 1 - -
Rd24 LWng Canterbury 80 3 - 1 1 11 - 126 - 1 - - - - -
Rd25 LWng Wests-Tig 80 - - - 1 6 1 102 2 - - - 1 - -
Rd26 LWng Sydney 80 1 - - 1 4 - 74 2 1 1 - - - -
MPSF LWng Melbourne 80 3 - 2 - 7 1 45 - - - - - - -
mF LWng Manly 80 4 1 1 - 8 1 68 1 - - - 1 - -
2013 TOTALS 2003 76 5 22 20 204 29 2054 19 13 5 4 15 - -
2013 Average Minutes - 80.1
2013 Average Tackles (80 min) - 3.0
2013 Average Runs (80 min) - 8.1
2013 Average Meters per run - 10.1m
2013 Tackling Ability - 77.6%
2014 FG Statistics
Min Tac Pe MT LB HU DR m Er OL K TA T G/A FG
Rd01 RWng Sydney 80 1 - - - 5 1 47 - - - - - - -
Rd02 RWng Manly 80 3 - 1 1 8 - 67 1 - - - - - -
Rd03 RWng Wests-Tig 80 5 - 1 - 10 - 77 1 1 - - - - -
Rd04 RWng Canberra 80 1 - 1 - 7 1 43 1 - - - - - -
Rd05 RWng St Geo-Ill 80 1 - - - 5 1 51 1 1 1 - - - -
Rd06 RWng Penrith 80 6 - - 1 6 1 25 - 2 - - 1 - -
Rd07 RWng Canterbury 80 1 - - - 8 1 62 1 - - - - - -
Rd11 Flbk Cronulla 80 9 - - - 10 1 68 1 - - - - - -
Rd12 RWng St Geo-Ill 80 3 - 1 - 8 - 52 1 - - - - - -
Rd14 Flbk Wests-Tig 80 5 - 1 1 9 - 95 2 1 - - 1 - -
Rd16 LWng Nth Qld 80 4 - - - 8 - 78 1 - - - - - -
Rd17 LWng Gold Coast 80 1 - - 1 5 - 67 1 2 - 1 - - -
2014 TOTALS 960 40 - 5 4 89 6 732 11 7 1 1 2 - -
2014 Average Minutes - 80.0
2014 Average Tackles (80 min) - 3.3
2014 Average Runs (80 min) - 7.4
2014 Average Meters per run - 8.2m
2014 Tackling Ability - 88.9%
Captaincy Record at South Sydney
never
Suspension Record at South Sydney
Year Grade v Wk CHARGE never
Player Awards
Year Award 2006 - South Sydney Players Player of the Year (Jack Rayner Award) 2006 - South Sydney Members Player of the Year 2006 - Dally M Top Try Scorer of the Year 2006 - Big League Annual Team of the Year (Wing) 2008 - South Sydney Players Player of the Year (Jack Rayner Award) 2009 - South Sydney Members Player of the Year 2009 - Burrow Supporters Group Appreciation Award 2009 - Dally M Headline Moment of the Year 2011 - South Sydney DRLFC PLayer of the Year (George Piggins Medal) 2011 - Dally M Top Try Scorer of the Year 2011 - Big League Annual Team of the Year (Wing) 2014 - South Sydney DRLFC Life Membership 2017 - South Sydney Top 5 Players of the Decade (2000s) 2020 - Indigenous Team of the Decade (2010s - Wing)
Representative Honours at South Sydney
Domestic CvC / Interstate : Tourists : Other
M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts
Sydney Origin 2011-13 2 2 - - -/3 - - :
NSW Origin 2013 1 1 - - - - - :
TOTAL 3 3 - - -/3 - -
International Internationals : Other
M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts
Aus PM XIII 2006-11 : 2 2 - 2 - - 8
Aus Indigenous 2010-12 : 3 3 - 3 - - 12
TOTAL 5 5 - 5 - - 20
ALL REPS 8 8 - 5 -/3 - 20
Year Pos Team Versus Match T G/A FG
2006 Wing Aus PM XIII v PNG 1 - -
2008 Aus Indigenous (Preliminary Squad)
2008 Wing Aus PM XIII v PNG (Withdrew due to injury)
2009 Wing Aus Indigenous v NRL All Stars All Stars (Withdrew due to injury)
2010 Wing Aus Indigenous v NRL All Stars All Stars - - -
2011 Blues In Waiting (Training squad)
2011 Wing Aus Indigenous v NRL All Stars All Stars 1 - -
2011 Wing Sydney Origin v NSW Country Origin - -/3 -
2011 Australia (4-Nations Train On Squad)
2011 Wing Aus PM XIII v PNG 1 - -
2012 Wing Aus Indigenous v NRL All Stars All Stars 2 - - MoM
2012 Australia (Train On Squad)
2013 Emerging Blues (Training squad)
2013 Wing Aus Indigenous v NRL All Stars (Withdrew due to injury)
2013 Wing Sydney Origin v NSW Country Origin - - -
2013 Wing New South Wales v Queensland SOO II - - -
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