With so much gold-medal whingeing polluting our media over the past 11 days, I wanted to devote some space today to an ‘Olympic class’ rugby league winger – Nathan Merritt.
South Sydney’s Nathan Merritt is my man on the podium and I am eagerly awaiting his heroics in the upcoming NRL finals series – incredibly, the first in his brilliant 10 year career.
Read more: The time is now for Rabbitohs
This guy never plays Origin or Test football but inevitably excites when he pulls on the red and green jumper.
I have been a Merritt fan for many years now and it has long confounded me that he is not one of the first names discussed when the rep season rolls around.
As a modern day try scorer, Merritt sits up front in a class of his own.
He has scored 135 tries in just 194 top grade games to be listed among South Sydney’s greatest try-scorers. Last year was a record-breaker for the speedy Aboriginal, topping the NRL tries tally for the second time with 23 four-pointers.
He scored five tries in one unforgettable outing against Parramatta and backed up the feat with a hat-trick against Canberra the following week.
I really like the way he goes looking for the ball, whether he’s picked on the wing or at fullback, where he is proving to be a more than capable substitute for suspended superstar, Greg Inglis.
His positional sense is at times uncanny and his ‘nose’ for tries is right up there with the game’s notable try-getters such as Ken Irvine, Terry Lamb and Steve Menzies.
When thinking defence, Merritt is not the biggest back going around at 181cm (5’11) and 90kg but he is fantastic in the air, owns a great pair of hands and has the courage of three men when onrushing monsters threaten to smash him into the turf.
There are many big names to salivate over when the Rabbitohs are on the run but for mine, Merritt is the ultimate entertainer, a player whose game is tailor-made for finals footy.
Injuries or Souths’ poor (team) form has denied him a shot in the pressure cooker playoff games but when Merritt makes his debut in the weeks ahead, it’s a sure bet he will be one of the most dangerous players in the series.
And this brings me to the main point of this article.
NSW have a new coach coming in for Origin 2013 and whether it’s Phil Gould, Trent Barrett, Laurie Daley – whoever – I implore that man to closely watch Nathan Merritt’s performance against the best in the code.
This man deserves a serious crack at State of Origin football. His statistics alone demand a sharper look than he has been afforded in the past, but it will come down to how he plays in the cauldron that is finals football.
The Blues (and the Kangaroos, for that matter) could use a winger with his Olympic class and composure.
His ‘finishing line’ every week is painted with thick white chalk and I believe his personal best in rugby league, is yet to come.
Michelle
Guest
EAGLE JACK, how can you justify your comment? He could have replaced anyone in recent NSW squads, because the chosen teams couldn't do any worse could they? The so-called better players that have been chosen over the last few years clearly have not done thei jobs, yet you say all the best players were chosen.
planko
Guest
If he had played before and had "done the job" then yes. Jennings did not play well ? Tim Grant don't have opinion on him but I don't think Merritt has played much front row has he ? I am thick ok but these are the same guidelines that the QLD is selected by. Current players in the QLD fold are not picked form. eg Darius Boyd played well for QLD but had done nothing for Newcastle all season. If it was based on form he would not be playing. Teams are picked in this way get over it. Good luck to the bunnies mate I will be build a bridge and get over please try it.
Smell The Win
Guest
Tim Grant "broke into the NSW team when his team was coming 2nd last! There goes that theory! So, it is OK if your team is coming last or you're playing for a feeder team if you've been picked before!! Oh, now I get it! So, Merritt couldn't get a NSW jumper because he had never been picked before, and because he played in a poor team??!! But IF he had been picked before, he could've been picked! Now, I can understand why NSW is looking down the barrel of 10 straight SOO Series losses! BTW are you a NSW selector, Coach or the writer of their selecting guidelines??? You are as thick as a plankO!!
PLANKO
Guest
But they have all played before ... LEARN to read look at my posts they have been consistent ! To break into the team your team needs to be winning. To stay in the side this is another matter... The coach/selectors can have faith in the been there done that. Luke Lewis/Greg Bird would be named in the Australian side selected tomorrow stop talking tripe.
PLANKO
Guest
EVERYONE i have disagreed with article and with most of you.... For the souths supporters good luck tomorrow you are playing "my blessed eagles". The irony is that I think i might be proven right. If souths go deep this year (looking good) and start next season well there could be a lot of bunnies playing in the SOO.... Good luck
Smell The Win
Guest
Well, this year Planko, going by your logic, Creagh, Merrin, Pearce, Hayne, Mannah, Tim Grant, Michael Jennings (Windsor) Luke Lewis, Greg Bird, Scott, Uate, should NOT have been picked because their teams were out of the 8. Some of their teams were coming last and 2nd last! You are a great thinker of the game!
planko
Guest
The Barry could not agree more ...Mundine was not Better than Daley and Merritt is not better than Morris or Hayne. Merritt is a great player but if you look at every player that is picked for NSW they are either in the club/have played before or are playing well in a winning team. Up until this season Merritt has not been in a winning team.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Merritt is a fantastic player and great to watch but he hasn't been picked for Origin because his game isn't suited to Origin footy. Wingers are used more to cart the ball back on the first and second tackles than they are to get on the end of flashy back line moves and that just isn't Merritt's strength. The times that NSW have moved away from the big Matt King, Grothe, Luke Lewis, Uate type wingers hasn't been pretty. Think Williams and Turner in particular. Having said all that I certainly wouldn't begrudge Merritt a blues jersey. Not in front of Morris or Hayne though...
planko
Guest
You 2 are a joke ....Nobody has mention anything about injuries after 2007 keep misquoting, misreading and misunderstanding ... He has given 100% for souths. He is one of a few players who could probably put their hand on their heart and said they have had a go. He has gone really well at fullback .... Maybe it is the bunnies and his team mates that have let him down. Team performance unless you are an "in the team" has always played a part in rep selection. Scoring winning tries when you are down by 30 at half time does not quite cut it when you are thinking about selecting a NSW or QLD team. Maybe souths should have given him more of a chance in different position that touch's and creates with the ball more if he is such a great. None of the players you mentioned Jake played on the wing from menory.
planko
Guest
Tim you know he is a good first grade player. Every time selections would come up there is always an encumbent that is as good or someone playing out of their skin that pips him. Also wingers get shafted every year when they chuck the second best fullback out there. Or the thrid best Centre. A good player like Merritt is now getting his chance at another position ? The question is if push comes to shove will he move clubs to continue to play "greater role" at the back of his career ? eg Full back.
Jake
Guest
What he said. Yet one of the most inconsistent players in the game, Jarred Hayne, keeps getting put on the wing for NSW. Hayne can be brilliant when he is in the mood. Merritt has turned up every week for ten years - even when he was playing for a rubbish team - and given 100% on every occasion. I've watched the majority of those and can't think of a single one, other than those few he has missed through injury, where Merritt hasn't been one of the best on the field. He scored more tries than anyone in the game in a season that his team got the wooden spoon, for Christ's sake! Now he's in one of the best teams in the comp, and it's the same one he made his NRL debut with. He hasn't changed, but the Bunnies have. People who aren't hardcore Souths fans are calling us Premiership contenders these days. While I'm sure he would love the personal recognition of rep honours, what is happening at South Sydney right now is worth so much more. Whether he gets the Blue jumper he deserves isn't relevant to us Bunny fans - Nathan Merritt is already up there with Churchill, Sattler, McCartney and the like as far as we are concerned.
Smell The Win
Guest
There is ONE thing about Merritt which is a greater attribute he has, than his ability to score tries! That attribute is, that he has NEVER let his team or club down. I cannot believe that some nuffies above keep writing that he has missed lot's of games through injury. From memory, he missed a few games at the end of 2007, and 12 this year from an injury he received in the All Stars game. Otherwise he has been giving 100% for Souths, and we Souths fans wouldn't swap him for any NSW winger picked between 07 to the present!
Smell The Win
Guest
Hey Planko. That is complete and utter rubbish!! Merritt's defence has been exceptional for the last 7 years. Maybe, in his first 2 or 3 years it was not his focus, but I know for a fact from about 2006 onwards that very few players have gotten through him or over him. Who should not have been picked in front of him?? Well, taking form into it, McManus, Hazem El Masri, David Williams, Jason Moodie, Michael De Vere, should never have been picked in front of Merritt. It is no fluke that he holds such a high try scoring record. He is a great player, and will continue to prove it this year!
Farcoola rooster
Guest
A winger that scores try's wtf yeah put him straight into a rep side, don't get me wrong he is a great player and is awesome too watch but like it has been stated he hasnt played any big game under the pump footy, see how he goes during that main time of year September just hoping souths players and supporters do not piss before there dicks are out -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Tim Prentice
Expert
No Johnno. Inglis will return as a fullback, where he has had an incredible impact for the Rabbitohs this season.
Tim Prentice
Expert
I just wonder how he'd fare at the end of an Origin or Test backline, High Shot. If he can score so many tries with Souths over the years, why hasn't he been given a shot? I'll also throw something in here: another naccomplished/star winger, Hazem El Masri, should have played many more Origin games than he did. Thye NSW selectors keep picking their pets or their so-called 'projects.'
Tim Prentice
Expert
Andy, I see your point but Merritt's nose for tries also comes to the fore when he plays at fullback. This guy scores tries in his sleep and those who feel that his defence and bomb disposals aren't up to the mark, I'd suggest you watch him very closely in the finals. There is an X-factor to his game and as an Origin winger, I'd prefer him to another X-man, J.Hayne.
tonysalerno
Roar Guru
Nathan Merritt is a good winger but the selectors felt he was never quite ready to make the jump. Merritt is fiercely proud of his heritage to that point that when he missed out on NSW selection one year he accused the selectors of being racist.
The High Shot
Roar Pro
Queensland Origin fans everywhere applaud Merritt's continued non-selection for the NSW Blues. Long may it continue!
Chop
Guest
More words for little contribution to the conversation, it's a gift you exploit well Oikee