Nathan Merritt
A blisteringly fast winger who became South Sydney's all-time leading try-scorer, defining an era with his knack for finding the try line.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Australian rugby league footballer·Birthday: May 26·Millennials
Biography
Nathan Merritt's story is one of pure footballing instinct. A local junior from Redfern, his pace and uncanny ability to finish made him a standout from his NRL debut. While his career included a stint at Cronulla, his heart and legacy belong to the South Sydney Rabbitohs. In the cardinal and myrtle, Merritt became a scoring machine, his name climbing the club's record books with every dazzling dash to the corner. He led the NRL in tries twice, a testament to his consistent threat. The crowning moment came in 2014 when, in his final season, he was part of the Rabbitohs squad that broke a 43-year premiership drought. Though his State of Origin appearance was brief, his status as a South Sydney icon and one of the game's most potent finishers is permanently etched in rugby league history.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Nathan was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nathan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Nathan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the South Sydney Rabbitohs' all-time leading try-scorer, with over 150 tries for the club.
- Won the NRL premiership with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2014.
- Topped the NRL season try-scoring list in 2006 and again in 2011.
Did You Know?
He is of Indigenous Australian descent and represented the Indigenous All Stars team.
He scored a remarkable 5 tries in a single NRL match for the Rabbitohs against the Parramatta Eels in 2013.
His cousin, Will Chambers, is also a professional rugby league player.
“Scoring tries for Souths was all I ever wanted to do.”
