NRL news: Nicho Hynes’ emotional pledge to family after signing $7 million Sharks deal

In his only interview since signing a record deal, Nicho Hynes opens up on the details of his contract, why he turned down rival offers and how he will handle the critics.

NRL star Nicho Hynes. Picture: Grant Trouville

Nicho Hynes is emotional.

He’s been asked to think about what the six-year-old wearing a Umina Bunnies jersey would be thinking.

The Sharks superstar has to pause.

His eyes begin to well with tears. You can sense his mind racing, as he considers the magnitude of his new contract, an almost $7 million six-year-deal, the biggest in the Cronulla club’s history.

The kid who couldn’t get a contract four years ago is now the only player in the NRL with a contract until 2029.

“He would be so proud of all the challenges and adversity I’ve had to face to get to this moment,’’ Hynes, 26, says.

Nicho Hynes has come a long way from the Umina Bunnies under-7s.

The magnitude of his new contract is still sinking in for Nicho Hynes. Picture: Grant Trouville

“I’m getting emotional...

“The little kid that watched mum get taken away (to prison) a lot, who watched dad work his arse off to put food on the table for us when Mum wasn’t around.

“I remember going through my mental health issues and wanting to give up on footy.

“And then my brother and my mum, who forced me to stay in Mackay to keep playing and keep chasing the dream.

“And me, just wanting to ring Purce (manager Andrew Purcell) to say, ‘just get me an opportunity please. I just need one opportunity.’

“All of that is just flashing back right now.

“I’m looking at the little kid running out for the Umina Bunnies, with a dream of wanting to be where I am right now.

“It’s crazy. I’m just so glad that I can look back and see this face that is so proud of where I have come.’’

Nicho Hynes playing for his junior club, Umina Bunnies under-10s.

Nicho Hynes playing for his junior club, Umina Bunnies under-10s.

FAMILY HOME

As the Dally M winner explains, his long-term deal is the stuff of dreams.

Only four years ago, he was earning $80,000 on a development contract with the Storm and working at an after-school care facility.

Now he plans to achieve the great Australian dream, by purchasing the first home that the Hynes family have ever owned.

“Coming from what I’ve come from with not a lot, to now being able to buy a house. I never thought I would ever own a house,’’ Hynes said.

“I never thought I would be able to set up my family and for my future family, my kids, it’s such an overwhelming process.

“Coming from Umina where I grew up with pretty much nothing.

“Mum never owned a house, Dad never owned a house, we’ve jumped from house to house renting. I want to be able to set myself up and then have that home forever, for my future kids.

“Then if I’m able to buy something little for my Dad, I just want to set my family up with something we never had.’’

Nicho Hynes has signed an almost $7 million six-year-deal, the biggest in the Cronulla club’s history. Picture: NRL Photos

STAYING FOR LESS

A player with Hynes’ attributes are few and far between on the NRL open market.

He is a halfback who has won the Dally M medal, can control an entire game with his kick, isn’t afraid to run deep into the defensive line, can embarrass the opposition with a pass and is defensively robust at 90kg and six-foot-one.

Clubs like the Tigers, Knights, Raiders, Dragons, Titans and Bulldogs would be willing to pay close to $1.3 million for Hynes — and possibly more.

Yet he never considered leaving Cronulla, staying for a tick over $1 million per-season.

“It’s been a pretty uncomfortable time, the last couple of months, doing this process,’’ Hynes said.

“It’s not in my nature to ask for something so significant.

“Four or five years ago, I was on an NRL development contract.

“I never thought I’d ever put myself in the frame of ever earning this money, or even this amount of fuss, about me.

“But the crux of it is, I just couldn’t picture myself running out for any other team’s jersey than the Sharks.

“The Storm would be the only other one because I will never forget what they did for me — but that never even came up.

“My heart and soul and loyalty is here with the Sharks and that’s why I didn’t go to market.

“One of my values in life is being loyal and my loyalty is Cronulla.”

Nicho Hynes shows off his Dally M Medal last year.

RECRUITMENT TOOL

Players want to play with good players.

Back when he was playing, former Sharks captain Paul Gallen helped recruit his predecessor Wade Graham by phoning him every day to leave Penrith and come to Cronulla.

Hynes said that just as he wanted to play at the Storm with Cam Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Jesse Bromwich, being a recruitment tool for the Sharks is something that he would embrace.

“Without being arrogant, I need to start thinking like that for Cronulla,” Hynes said.

Nicho Hynes in action for the Sharks. Picture: Getty Images

“I won the Dally M because of the quality of my teammates and coaching staff around me.

“This is a team game. You need a good team around you and that’s what I want until I finish.

“My performance each week has to be the selling point. If I’m playing great footy, I would like my peers to be looking at Nicho Hynes playing and think ‘I would love to play with that guy.’

“I’ll use that as motivation and I would love for a young kid to come to this club purely to learn off me.’’

MONEY MAN

Hynes is rugby league‘s fairytale story.

Humble and authentic, Hynes has emerged from an impossible upbringing of frightening adversity to become the face of the game.

Yet he knows that with a big-money contract, the critics won’t be far away.

“Pressure is only there if you listen to people say I’m the money man now,’’ Hynes said.

“If I let that internally frustrate me, that‘s my own fault.

“There’s no way I would ever just get this contract and stop working.

“Now this has happened, I need to put the foot on the accelerator even more.

“I want premierships for this club, that’s all I want.

“Now I’m secure with this contract, I can narrow my focus on doing what is needed everyday at training to try and win the Sharks premierships.

“That’s all that matters now.’’

Originally published as NRL news: Nicho Hynes’ emotional pledge to family after signing $7 million Sharks deal