Former Leeds Rhinos captain arrested in Australia

Former Leeds Rhinos captain Trent Merrin has been arrested in Australia.

Merrin, who played and captained Leeds in 2019, was arrested and charged with breaching an apprehended domestic violence (AVO) order.

Reports in Australia state that Merrin claims he breached the order after driving past his house to see whether a ‘For Sale’ sign had been taken down.

Merrin told the Sunday Telegraph he ‘believed he was allowed in the street for matters relating to the sale of the property’.

The conditions of Merrin’s AVO, which he was handed in May for a verbal altercation with his former partner, state he is not permitted to go within 50m of the property.

After he was spotted on the street of the house, Merrin was arrested and interviewed at Illawarra Police Station. He was then bailed and will appear in court later this month.

Merrin has vowed to fight the charge which he described as “another chapter in this long saga that has been my life for the past 12 months”.

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Despite Merrin’s well-publicised personal issues since retiring, he is hoping to use what he has faced in a positive way to help other rugby league players.

Merrin recently launched Azure partners to tackle the problem of NRL player welfare and mental health struggles suffered by many within the sport due to the publicity they face.

He also now hosts ‘The Lost Boys’ podcast alongside former teammate Jake Marketo in which they address men’s suicide, domestic violence and relationships.

Merrin’s arrest is a setback for the ex-Origin star, who has been channelling his energy positively and helping retired players through his business ventures and personal advice.

The former Leeds player must now face another personal challenge later this month when he appears in court, with the conditions of his AVO and the terms within it likely to determine his fate in this case.