NRL 2024: How Nicho Hynes helped Trent Loiero overcome confidence issues and online abuse early in career

Melbourne forward Trent Loiero has become one of the unsung heroes of the Storm pack this season, owing his resurgent year in part to a career-changing contribution from Sharks star Nicho Hynes.

Melbourne forward Trent Loiero has revealed the role Cronulla star Nicho Hynes played in helping him overcome confidence issues and online abuse to produce a resurgent year that may yet culminate in a grand final appearance.

Loiero has been a fixture in the Storm pack this year, having moved to the middle of the field and helped Melbourne into a preliminary final against the Sydney Roosters on Friday night at a sold-out AAMI Park.

As he prepares to lock horns with one of the most formidable forward packs in the NRL, Loiero will do so having rebuilt his confidence after a difficult start to his first grade career.

Hynes, his former roommate and good friend, has been at the heart of that revival, having put Loiero in touch with his mind coach Jarred Brown.

“Nicho actually came to Sunny Coast (over Christmas) and we spent a couple of days together obviously chatting about a year that was had,” Loiero said.

“I sort of spoke about some of my concerns and he just put me onto him (Brown) and said give it a go, you’ve got nothing to lose.

Trent Loiero has revealed the important role Nicho Hynes played in his early NRL days. Picture: Pita Simpson/Getty Images

“It really helped me. I think for me personally, and I guess a lot of us as players, we are pretty passionate and sort of care about performances.

“I was pretty bad at holding onto things if something would go wrong. I feel like that’s been a strong point in my game this year, being able to wipe that …. and just get on with things.”

Not that Loiero has done a lot wrong this year. His poor performances have been few and far between, helping him lock down a starting spot and come within a whisker of making his State of Origin debut after he was included in the extended squad for games two and three.

“I copped it a bit on social media last year and I probably fell into the trap of reading all this stuff and being able to see it,” Loiero said.

“(Brown) helped me a lot in sort of getting my confidence back and believing in myself. He was massive for me.

Nicho Hynes is a former roommate to Trent Loiero. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

“I got a lot out of out of talking with him. I held on to a few my bad performances last year but I feel like he really helped me.

“Obviously playing back row is a tough position – you got to link the edge and the middle together. I reckon it’s probably one of the hardest positions to play.

“So I sort of got chucked in the deep end there and like I said, I struggled a bit. I feel a lot more comfortable this year with my role in the team.

“I feel like the older boys have given me like confidence to come in the middle and sort of be confident in my game.

“And I have sort of reap the rewards of them having confidence in me and Craig (Bellamy) having confidence in me. Really enjoying my time in the middle. I feel that’s where I belong.”

Loiero has been one of the unsung heroes in a Melbourne forward pack that has silenced many of its critics in 2024. If there was a question mark over the Storm at the start of the year, it was the strength of their middle forwards.

Loiero along with the likes of Josh King, Tui Kamikamica and Alec MacDonald have answered every challenge from their opposition. The Roosters are the latest forward pack to head to AAMI Park looking to leave a lasting impression.

Loiero insists Melbourne are ready and waiting.

“You know that’s what they want to do – they are going to want to come down here and bash us up,” Loiero said.

“They did that last year and that’s what they did that at the start of the year. So I guess we’ll be ready for that.

“I think us as a ruck unit have been able to play smart and do all the little things right? Do all the selfless acts for each other that might not I know get recognised on TV.

“So that’s what we’ll be going in thinking – we’ll be worrying about us.”