Sharks stars Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall challenging the traditional halves combination

Sharks stars Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall are proving the traditional scrumbase combination could be a thing of the past, with a masterclass performance against the Rabbitohs.

Cronulla Sharks have provided the blueprint for every side who want running halves. The traditional scrumbase combination of an organising seven who controls the game being supported by an off the cuff halves partner could be a thing of the past.NRL Match Day Widget

Naturally the genius of Nathan Cleary will always be an exception but the likes of the Storm have had great success in two running halves. The Warriors are trying to mimic it and the Knights have bought into it too with the expensive purchase of Dylan Brown. The Tigers are another side trying to perfect as that combination of Jarome Luai and Lachie Galvin builds.

Braydon Trindall has evolved into arguably the Sharks most important playmaker. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Sharks are now able to do the same given what Braydon Trindall is offering the side. His evolution has seen him become arguably the club’s most important playmaker even if Nicho Hynes dominates headlines. This isn’t a crack at Hynes either because what Trindall has been able to do is free Hynes up. Freed him of the burden of running the side and allowed Hynes to focus on his strength which is his running game and he too looked like an attacking threat every time he had his hands on the ball.

Trindall may be wearing the no.6 but he is doing everything which was long considered a staple of a halfback. He jumps into first receiver, he produced two 40/20s in the opening half and his control over the side and the side was clear in front of 14320 people.

Freed of the burden of running the side, Nicho Hynes has been freed to focus on his running game. Picture: NRL Imagery

“We used the wind to our advantage,” Trindall said. “We work on (me taking control) at training. Working teams over.

“I wasn’t too bad in Las Vegas but last week wasn’t up to standards. I wasn’t happy last week but today was better.”

Trindall combined with Hynes for a first half try with Hynes slicing through a poor South Sydney left edge but he did so standing at second-receiver.

Hynes still plays plenty of first receiver but the reliance on him isn’t as great as it was in recent years.

Trindall scored the opening try of the second half taking advantage of a Hynes line-break assist on the play before.

Hooker Blayke Brailey said Trindall was taking more control.

“It’s good to see Tricky (Trindall) step up and back himself,” Brailey said. “It makes our team even better.”

SHARKS SCORE TRY OF THE YEAR CONTENDER IN SOUTHS DOMINATION

—Martin Gabor

It’s been 50 years since Jaws terrorised the residents of Amity Island, but not even he could match it with the Cronulla Sharks who smelled blood in the water in the first half and feasted on the Rabbitohs who came crashing back down to earth.

The 27-12 result wasn’t a fair reflection of their dominance, with the competition heavyweights scoring the try of the year as they raced out to an unassailable first-half lead.

With his side already in cruise control, fiery winger Ronaldo Mulitalo casually scooped up a ball in his own in-goal, beat a tackle and then offloaded to Will Kennedy who unleashed Kayal Iro who looked around for any chasers but was never troubled as he raced 90 metres to bring the sold-out crowd to its feet.

Cronulla Sharks. Picture: NRL Imagery

The lethal left edge was at it again nine minutes later as another kick return ended up with Mulitalo who burst through, before a series of passes ended up with the winger who tipped it on to Kennedy who touched down in the corner.

Ronaldo Mulitalo has set up a try of the year contender for Kayal Iro

They do have a couple of injury concerns with Braden Hamlin-Uele (knee) and Siosifa Talakai (ankle) unable to finish the game.

“I’m not sure what happened to Braden, but we thought it was a medial. I’m not sure of the severity,” Craig Fitzgibbon said.

“Sifa, it’s obviously his ankle. But again, I’m not too sure of the severity.”

PERFECT HALVES

There’s been a lot of debate as to just who runs this team, but Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall showed they can be equally dominant in an almost faultless first half in southern Sydney.

It took just three minutes for Trindall to set up his halves partner who strolled over untouched to set the tone for what was to come on Saturday afternoon.

While Hynes grabbed the opener, Trindall kicked the Rabbitohs into submission with a couple of booming 40/20s as he took control of the kicking game, with the five-eighth then crashing over to open the second-half scoring before he nailed a late field goal.

The Sharks celebrate after Briton Nikora scores. Picture: Getty Images

The pair struck up the perfect balance, with Hynes setting up try-scoring machine Briton Nikora who crossed for the third time in as many games to start the year, and he would have had another assist had they not dropped a couple of tough chances.

“I’m really enjoying watching them grow,” Fitzgibbon said of his halves.

“It was always our plan that they’d grow together.

“Just because a number six had a good game, does that mean that the seven had a bad game, and if the seven has a good game, did the six have a bad game?

“It’s a combination. One week one of them will shine and the other might be a support act, but if that happens, then they’re playing for the team.”

BAD HARE DAY

Wayne Bennett worked his magic to help the Bunnies pick up two brave wins to start the season, but not even the master coach could conjure another miracle as Souths copped a major reality check against a genuine premiership contender.

The Rabbitohs were off the pace from the opening few minutes and had no answers for Cronulla’s size, speed and slick ball movement, with Bennett moving Jamie Humphreys to lock in the second half, with the halfback darting through for a late try.

They missed a concerning 42 tackles and didn’t score until the 70th minute, with fullback Jye Gray also placed on report for a hip-drop tackle on Talakai ahead of next week’s clash against the Panthers.

“I’m not sure what a hip-drop is to be honest with you, and I’m not saying that sarcastically,” Bennett said.

“It’s a pretty confusing lot of rules around that - I’m not a real good judge of hip-drop tackles.”

Originally published as Sharks stars Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall challenging the traditional halves combination