There were heartbreaking scenes at Accor Stadium on Good Friday as South Sydney legend Nathan Merritt rang the Rabbitohs’ Legacy Bell in what loomed as his final appearance at an NRL game.

The 42-year-old, who has been given just 12 months to live, proudly sounded the bell as the Rabbitohs ran out for the Good Friday clash, with his father Tony and son Jaylen also in attendance. 

‘A father of five, he is going through a very tough fight,’ Andrew Voss said in commentary.

‘I would like to think South Sydney are inspired by your presence today. We wish you and your family the best.’

Fighting stage four cancer in his oesophagus and liver, Merritt had already revealed he had been given about 12 months to live. But on this day, the focus shifted from prognosis to legacy.

‘It’s going to be something special,’ Merritt had said in the lead-up.

Nathan Merritt rings the Legacy Bell in emotional Good Friday scenes as Rabbitohs fans honour the club legend

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‘It’s going to be a highlight of the remainder of my life. It will be a special occasion for me and my family and special to do it with my family.’

As he rang the bell, a symbol of the club’s history, resilience and unity dating back to 1908, the gravity of the moment was felt across the ground.

Players from both sides stood shoulder to shoulder, while Rabbitohs stars watched on visibly emotional, fully aware of what the occasion meant.

Merritt, a father of five, had spoken candidly about the toll of his diagnosis, admitting he had endured ‘little breakdowns’ as he grappled with what lies ahead.

‘I think about all the things I’m going to miss out on and the things they’re going to miss out on,’ he said.

‘Those situations hurt. It’s hard sometimes.’

Despite that, he remained determined to stay strong for his children.

‘I don’t want my kids seeing me vulnerable. At the end of the day, they need their dad to be strong for them to be strong.’

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The former winger, who played 237 NRL games and scored 146 tries for South Sydney, had undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy, losing more than 20 kilograms as the treatment took its toll.

‘The chemo has sapped most of my energy,’ he admitted earlier in the week.

Still, he was resolute in making it to Good Friday, a fixture that has become one of the biggest days on the rugby league calendar.

South Sydney players had spoken openly about the impact of his battle in the lead-up to the match.

‘Devastating news for Nath,’ Cody Walker said.

‘We heard the news a few weeks ago and it was very sad.

‘He’s been a pioneer of our club and our local community there in Redfern, forever.

‘It will be good to see him ring the bell and see if we can raise some much-needed awareness and funds for him.

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‘It’s a bit of a tough road ahead for him so we’re all thinking of him here at the Rabbitohs and we wish him all the very best.’

The club had rallied around Merritt in the weeks prior, organising fundraising efforts to support him and his family, while the wider rugby league community also threw its support behind one of the game’s most beloved figures.

Even rival figures paused to acknowledge the moment.

‘It’s terrible news, particularly for one so young,’ Phil Gould said.

‘Wonderful man, and a great footballer too.’

For Merritt, the day was not about sympathy, but about connection.

A proud Rabbitohs junior who grew up supporting the club, he had remained deeply involved in the Redfern community long after retirement, continuing his work through Souths Cares and his own foundation.

As he stood in the middle of Accor Stadium, ringing the bell that now links generations of Rabbitohs players and fans, it was clear his impact stretched far beyond what he achieved on the field.

There was one final wish he had shared in the days leading into the match.

‘To see Souths win another comp, that would be a great way to go out,’ he said.

‘Souths have the team to do it. I’d just love to see them in a grand final again.’