Leeds Rhinos forward, Trent Merrin has admitted he would like to return and play in the NRL in the future.
The 29-year-old Kangaroos international agreed a four-year deal with the Rhinos beginning this season – but admits his dream would be to finish his playing career in the NRL.
However, while that remains his goal, it hasn’t stopped him from making a huge success of his time in Super League with Leeds.
“I’d love to retire back home,” he told NRL.com, “back to where it all started. You idolise playing in the NRL, so to hang them(my boots) up there is something I am looking at doing. But you’ve got to put your best forward here to even get a look-in back home, so over the next four years I’ll be doing everything I can to make this a success.
“They’re passionate here at Leeds, and they’re a great club. They’ve welcomed me with open arms and it’s been exciting; everything I expected it to be. They’re a young group; we’re learning and we haven’t started the way we wanted to, but that’s a challenge in itself.”
On his acrimonious exit from NRL side Penrith at the end of last season, Merrin said: “Things didn’t pan out. You’ve got to move forward and not dwell on it. The next chapter arose sooner than I expected and I thought – you’ve got to make the most of it – so here I am now and I’m enjoying my footy.
“It came as a surprise. But once we’d had a few conversations, the idea set in that I’d have to look elsewhere; look after myself and my career, and protect that.
“I chose my happiness, and I wouldn’t have been too happy looking over my shoulder too much.”
