NRL 2023: Nicho Hynes leads Sharks to comfortable win over Bulldogs

Nicho Hynes sent a message to NSW coach Brad Fittler with another starring performance while Kalyn Ponga lost the game but ticked plenty of boxes in his return to footy.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 22: Nicholas Hynes of the Sharks runs the ball during the round eight NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks at Accor Stadium on April 22, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Nicho Hynes had done his best to avoid the State of Origin hype on social media, but the calls are only going to grow louder for him to make his Blues debut after another strong performance for the Sharks.

The reigning Dally M Medal winner laid on two tries, kicked a field goal and bundled Declan Casey into touch with a brilliant cover tackle in Saturday’s 33-20 win over the Bulldogs to enhance his chances of partnering Nathan Cleary in the halves.

Hynes has been outstanding in his four games back from a calf injury, and it’s going to be hard for Blues coach Brad Fittler to leave him out of the side, with the 26-year-old also in the mix for the bench utility role.

Incumbent Jarome Luai is slightly in front given he’s played with Cleary for so long, but Hynes reckons he’s playing even better than he was when he was 18th man in the opening two games of last year’s series.

Nicholas Hynes stamped his Origin credentials with a fine game. Picture: Getty Images

“I think I’m a better player than I was 12 months ago,” he declared.

“I keep continuing to learn and I keep working hard. The coaching staff put hard work into me and I put some hard work on the training paddock.

“There is always so much to work on no matter what happened in the previous year or the previous game, so you can never be too big for your boots.

“If I wasn’t a better player than I was 12 months ago then I shouldn’t be playing footy.

“I’ve got a good contract now – I’ve earned that – so I’ve got to keep showing the faith that they’ve showed in me.”

There will be countless stories and social media posts in the coming weeks before the teams are announced for the series opener, but Hynes has made it a priority to block all that stuff out.

“I try to avoid it as much as I can, but I have social media so it pops up in front of me a lot,” he said.

Nicho Hynes goes to talk to fans after the game against the Bulldogs. Picture: NRL Images

“I try not to read the comments and I delete my socials 24 hours before a game so I can steer clear of that and narrow my focus.

“It’s just going to continue to happen if you keep winning games and play good footy.

“All I can control are my performances for the Sharks and winning games for the Sharks. If it happens, it happens.

“I don’t want to think about that too much because then I won’t do justice for the team and I’ll be thinking about that and I won’t be putting the performances in. I’ll just let my footy do the talking.”

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon knows the Origin arena well as a former player and assistant coach, and he echoed the comments he made last week when he said that Hynes would handle the occasion.

“I think he’s ready,” Craig Fitzgibbon said.

“I know he can handle it.

“He’s fearless in the way he plays, and big moments and big occasions don’t scare him. That’s Origin.

“He might not get an opportunity in Origin, but if it comes, he’ll take it.”

Kalyn Ponga was solid in attack for the Knights. Picture: Getty Images

PONGA GETS THROUGH COMEBACK UNSCATHED

Kalyn Ponga’s return to the NRL didn’t herald the result Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien would have wanted, but it sent warning signs to the rest of the competition.

After joining the game off the interchange just past the midway point of the first half, Ponga seemed to pop up everywhere in attack for the Knights.

He finished the game with 81 metres from his nine runs to go with a classy try assist, two linebreak assists and four tackle breaks.

But the North Queensland Cowboys defeated Newcastle 18-16.

Ponga: “It’s been a privilege, it’s been an honour.”

Hear from KP ahead of game 100 in the NRL 🗣️#defendthekingdom#NRLCowboysKnightspic.twitter.com/aSxc6hAuCe

— Newcastle Knights (@NRLKnights) April 22, 2023

O’Brien said it was always his plan to play Ponga off the bench to ensure he was firing in the clutch moments when he would be needed.

“I thought he looked very busy, he looked dangerous (and) our connections with him will get better,” O’Brien said.

“There was some timing stuff there ... but the more times he touched the better we were looking.

“We don’t want to lock him into one side. We’re letting him bob up everywhere and I thought he came up with a couple of nice tackles as well.”

Speaking on Fox League, Ponga said he felt good after his limited return.

“Unfortunately we didn’t ice it at the end there, we definitely had enough opportunities but we probably shot ourselves in the first half to be honest,” Ponga said.

“I was tired in the first 15 just getting back into the pace of footy, but I’ll review it and honestly can’t really give a good indication now on how I feel, just happy to get through the game and obviously disappointed with the loss.

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Cowboys coach Todd Payten defended the use of his bench after neither Tom Chester nor Mitch Dunn entered the contest.

Reuben Cotter played 66 minutes after joining the fray from the interchange, while Jake Granville (60 minutes), Jordan McLean (51 minutes), Coen Hess (49 minutes) and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (33 minutes) shared the front row load.

Payten said it was always his plan to use McLean in four short stints after advice from his medical team, but Jeremiah Nanai’s injury meant there was no opportunity for Chester to come on.

“Miah’s (Nanai) injury was a cat among the pigeons, it upset our plan so there goes Tommy Chester’s interchange late in the game, we had to use that one getting ‘Miah back on the pitch,” Payten said.

“And then with about seven or eight minutes to go we had an opportunity to put Dunny on but we just felt that we needed our most experienced and best players out on the pitch.

“It never sits well with me (leaving unused players on the bench), but those two blokes, when I spoke to them they understood and they took it really well.

“They understand it’s about the team and they’re Cowboys.”

Originally published as NRL 2023: Nicho Hynes leads Sharks to comfortable win over Bulldogs