Former South Sydney winger Nathan Merritt has shared the devastating news he will be “lucky” to be alive in one year as he continues to fight esophageal and liver cancer.
The 42-year-old, who will ring the legacy bell at the Accor Stadium on Saturday when the Rabbitohs take on Canterbury, offered the heartbreaking health update in an interview with Code Sports.
Fearful this weekend’s game could be the last he attends, the Sydney-born star said: “I will be lucky to get past 12 months.
“It feels like your soul has been taken away. There are nights where I have my little breakdowns and think about my kids.
“I don’t know how many more football games I will be going to after this one.”
Merritt, father to five children between the ages of 11 and 21, played more than 200 games for South Sydney across two spells, scoring 146 tries and racking up 653 points.
The NRL’s top try scorer in 2006 and 2011 has said his chemotherapy treatment “might extend” his life beyond 12 months but that one year is “pretty much” the expectations of the doctors.
Opening up about the moment he was told of his condition, Merritt said: “My stomach was empty.
“You lose thought of everything that’s going on in your mind. You just shut down. Everything is taken away from your mind and you feel like your soul has been taken away.
“That’s the way I feel at the moment. You feel helpless. It is an indescribable feeling.”
As well as Merritt ringing the bell, the Rabbitohs will also honour his presence on Saturday by playing a tribute video of his best moments on the big screens inside the stadium.
And while it will be an emotionally-charged atmosphere for everyone at the ground, Merritt insists he is looking forward to it.
“It’s probably could be my farewell (game) – that’s how you could put it. I don’t know how many more football games I will be going to after this one,” he said.
“I really want to soak in the love from Souths’ members and fans, it’s going to be a great feeling. Seeing all the Souths supporters again, I love being around them.
“It’s something I will cherish, a special moment.”
On May 29, a celebration luncheon and auction will commemorate Merritt’s career at South Juniors in Kingsford. Tickets for the event are available on South Sydney’s website.
