Confirmed

Interesting how this news has been included within the announcement of prior and not in its own report.

I think the club are quite rightly ed off with him

What song will the Southstanders create to celebrate Merrin's walkout?
Happens too frequently with our overseas investments.

Merrin officially a right now along with segayero, beware if Prior now as well seems any overseas signing are now just coming here until a better option comes along.

Trent merrin is a w**ker is a w**ker,

Very disappointed in both Mez and the club here.

He committed to stay and has now jumped, that’s an integrity issue for me...

What have the club got out of this? Only yesterday the head coach told the fans via the media that he would only be released when we had a suitable replacement. Prior isn’t a replacement, he was supposed to be an addition.

Positives. Great Captain and leader
Negatives. Not worth the Marquee money and for the last 18 months we knew this would happen.
Yes personal family issues but just feel very used and let down.
Not interested in Trent's goodbye tale once he gets HOME.
GOODBYE!

It's happening a bit to often now 3 times at least

Just stop it.

He's gone, he played well when he played and he has children and a family to consider.

Yes it's frustrating, but nothing to be gained from being so bloody belligerent.

I said last year when he signed for us that we should enjoy him whilst we've got him but that it wouldn't be long before he was back in the NRL

I'm not going to slag Merrin off as he was IMO the main reason that we stopped up last season whilst we were struggling as he definitely pulled the side together



Did anyone take note of how our teams performance dipped during games whilst he was not on the field in 2019?

IMO we won't lose his marquee player's ability in 2020 with him leaving as we are well covered in the back row

But we urgently need our next captain to be as productive with his leadership skills that Trent possessed

Did anyone actually believe that he would see his contract out with us as the NRL stories always had him as going home

IMO We should move on and thank Trent for his contributions in keeping us in SL and also wish Good luck to him and Jess both with the birth of their 1'st child but also with having family support close by whilst back in OZ

His Leeds highlight was probably that rhino dance has was seen doing in changing rooms after a rare win.

Not bad for 200k + a year.

Come on guys, yes there is some let down here, but family has to come first. Girlfriend with a new baby, sadly her mum is no longer with us, she needs her family around her and with what happened she will need a lot of support.
Ok it hasn’t worked out with Merrin, but in my opinion he’s gained a lot of respect by sticking with his girlfriend and family. I wish him all the best for the future

Of course we should wish him and his family well but that doesn’t hide the way this has all been handled by Merrin, I was very homesick when I lived in Australia but what I did do before moving home was fulfilled the work commitments that I had agreed to before moving home, he should have just stayed in Australia and not come back.

But anyway what’s done is done and we need to move on

Gained no respect personally we gave him the chance to move he had offers which he didn’t like said he was coming back gave an interview how it was all good at Leeds for new season got an improved offer and buggered off.

If he had said at the end of the year am off for family reasons I would have had the respect but he hasn’t has he

I have full respect for anyone brave enough to step out on a rugby league field . Good luck to Trent and his family. Think we should only say things on here, we would be prepared to say face to face to a players face. Think people would suddenly become very understanding in the real world !

Didnt we get him at second attempt ?

That's and being a MAJOR part of us not being relegated.

Get over it.

Disappointed about the way this has happened but as others have said it's probably best to have this sorted now and not having it hanging over us during the season.

No need to get personal about this. He gave 100% in the Leeds shirt and deserved the captaincy, and as much as I'd have liked him to honour his contract with us, the rest is unfortunate, but part and parcel of the business IMO. Time to move on.

He carried possibly the worst pack SL has seen for the first half of last season. His metre making and effort was top class. He’s a back rower, he stepped up to the front row for us and put everything on the line.

We’re had plenty of big earners in the past who’ve not justified the wages, I don’t think Trent’s one of them. Perhaps if we were still competing for trophies he’d have been more motivated to stay, who knows.

Tried to bury it in the middle of the press release.

Pretty average from Trent.

Merrin won’t be missed at all, Prior much better player on less money which will enable another signing.

From the Aussie media

“Trent could’ve jumped like a kangaroo all the way back to Australia he’s that excited to come back to the Dragons,” said the club’s director of rugby league pathways and list management Ian Millward.

“Trent has indicated to the club several times over the past 12 months that he’d love to come home;

I understand the family issues but at some point you have to make a decision and stick with it, out of respect for all involved. If he was still open to going back to Aus he shouldn't have said what he did about returning to Leeds. Agree with some though that it may be a blessing in disguise if we have a bit of (overdue) luck with whoever we bring in next.

You have to wonder though if the Curse of the Sleeve will strike again? Segayaro mucked us about and things haven't planned out too cleverly for him.

Trent doesn’t come out of this looking good whichever way anyone spins it.