Rabbitohs icon Nathan Merritt rang the bell ahead of his former side’s clash with the Bulldogs in a hugely emotional moment as he continues to fight cancer.
The 42-year-old revealed the heartbreaking news earlier this week that he will be “lucky to get past 12 months” as he battles esophageal and liver cancer.
Father-of-five Merritt scored 146 tries for the Rabbitohs across two spells — and racked up 653 points for South Sydney.
And he received a hero’s welcome at Stadium Australia as he rang the bell ahead of the huge Good Friday showcase.
Sharing the post on social media, Merritt’s former club said: “Red and green through and through. We’re with you Merro.”
The poignant moment came after Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett spoke touchingly about Merritt.
Bennett said: “That’ll be a wonderful moment for him and the game and all Souths supporters, so it’s another reason why we want to see them all there.
“He was a great player for this club and has a tough time in front of him, but the club and the fans will be supportive of him as they have been always.
“Let’s make it a nice day for him.”
And Merritt, who has admitted fears Friday could have been the last game he attends, will have been impressed with his side’s display as the Rabbitohs sealed a 32-24 victory.
The moment of the match came in the fifth minute when Alex Johnston produced an outstanding interception and then ran 90 yards to score a stunning try.
The Rabbitohs’ superstar winger, who recently became the NRL’s all-time leading try scorer, then made a major error as he dropped a simple catch to allow the Bulldogs to take a first-half lead.
But Bennett’s men fought back after the break to secure a third win in four games and move up to second in the table.
