Doesn’t bother me anymore: Hynes happy changing roles
Scott Bailey |
Nicho Hynes has revealed how he had to learn to take a back seat at Cronulla, admitting his 2022 Dally M left him feeling the need to be highlights-reel player.
Hynes and Braydon Trindall will go into Saturday’s semi-final with Canberra as the NRL’s form halves pairing, with the Sharks winning eight of their past nine games.
Much of that is based on moderation in the halves.
For a long time in 2022 and 2023, Hynes was by far the most influential half of any player in any team.
He touched the ball more than any player in the NRL outside of hookers two years ago, with the bulk of Cronulla’s attack and general-play kicking running through him.
But those numbers have shifted in the past two years, with Hynes touches down from 67 in 2023 to 56 this year.
Trindall is also playing more of a role in the way the Sharks attack, after the pair were first partnered together regularly midway through the 2023 season.
“You see what he can do on the weekend,” Hynes said of his halves partner.
“He came up with two great try assists (against the Sydney Roosters) when the time was needed.
“I probably played more of a controlled role on the weekend. He played more of the highlight-reel sort of role.
“Sometimes it’s vice versa. I’m doing that. All those things don’t bother me anymore. It’s just about getting the team a win.”
The result is a more balanced Sharks attack, with Hynes laying on 20 tries this year and Trindall 18.
Trindall is also brimming with confidence, as shown by the way he set up Ronaldo Mulitalo for Cronulla’s first in the Sharks’ 20-10 win on Saturday night.
Hynes said the change in his mentality had come after he previously felt the need to be the man to spark the Sharks following his 2022 Dally M Medal.
“When I won the Dally M I was on a high,” Hynes said.
“I was probably trying to play too much and trying to get all the try assists. I was trying to have the line-break assists and all that sort of stuff.
“It wasn’t worrying about somebody else doing it. It was more me wanting to have good stats and that.
“But now it’s more that we win. That’s all I want to do is win. I don’t give a shit if I have zero try assists. It’s more that we win. That’s the most important stat.”
Trindall is also feeling more freedom, with the pair getting a gauge of each other’s games early in matches and letting the on-song party take charge.
The other factor is a clear run of games together this year after a disrupted 2024, with Cronulla averaging 34 points per match over the past month.
“It would have been hard for him coming in playing No.7 and thinking he has to run the team,” Trindall said.
“But week to week it changes. If he is having a good game and is in control, then I take a step back and let him do his thing, and vice versa.
“We get that feeling during the game and let the other half run away with it, just work and try and complement each other.”
AAP
