It has been confirmed that South Sydney Rabbitohs club legend Nathan Merritt has awoken from his coma as of Friday afternoon.
One week after being found unresponsive, sent to hospital and left fighting for his life, the South Sydney Rabbitohs have confirmed that Merritt is awake and surrounded by his immediate family.
"Fantastic news tonight!" Souths posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"The Merritt family has updated us that Nath is now awake with his immediate family by his side.
"He remains in hospital receiving brilliant care from his doctors and nurses. Keep that recovery going, Merro! We are all behind you!"
This comes after multiple publications reported last Saturday that Merritt was taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown after he was found unresponsive on Friday afternoon.
The one-time NSW Blues winger was placed on life support after collapsing whilst staying with his aunty, and it has since been understood that he suffered an adverse reaction to consuming prescribed pain medication.
The former Rabbitohs winger ranks third on the all-time club try-scorers list with 151 tries in 208 NRL games for the club. He also registered a short two-year stint with the Cronulla Sharks between 2004 and 2005.
His representative honours include one game for the NSW Blues in the 2013 State of Origin series, two appearances for the Australian Prime Minister's XIII, two games for City Origin and three jerseys for the Indigenous All Stars - winning the Preston Campbell Medal in the 2012 All Stars game.
“We heard the news in the Rabbitohs group chat that the players have, it's very sad," Rabbitohs forward Keaon Koloamatangi told News Corp.
“We were all sad to see the news, he's a big part of the club.
“I just want to send my prayers and thoughts to his family and all loved ones, and his (five) kids of course.
“I'll be keeping him and his family in my prayers going forward. I really hope we hear some positive news really soon.”