NRL elimination final Raiders vs. Sharks live: Nicho Hynes proves doubters wrong with epic display

Nicho Hynes has put the NRL world on notice with an incredible performance on Sunday night, that has left everyone saying the same thing.

The Sharks are through to an elimination final after Nicho Hynes inspired his Cronulla side to an emphatic 32-12 win over the Raiders on Saturday night.

Cronulla have struggled in recent years to win big games, with the blame often pinned firmly on their million dollar man Hynes.

But he proved his doubters wrong on Saturday night as he had a hand in everything.

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While the story is grim for the Raiders, who looked sapped from last week’s golden point epic, Cronulla were firing on all cylinders.

And most of the praise for that has to go to the Sharks’ No.7.

With his team down 6-0 and looking lost, Hynes touched the ball almost every play for several straight sets.

Nicho Hynes was brilliant on Saturday. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Hynes put a beautiful cut out pass on the chest of Ronaldo Multitalo to get their first try and from there the floodgates opened.

The next set Hynes put KL Iro into a gaping hole. After marching downfield the halfback then stepped his way into score next to the posts to give them the lead at half-time.

It was then a Hynes penalty goal that put them up by more than a converted try midway through the second half.

From there, he controlled the ball perfectly. And it had the NRL world all saying the same thing.

“I’m no fan of Nicho Hynes, one of his biggest critics. But gee you have to be impressed with the mental toughness after 2-3 years of bad press, abuse from fans, he is playing damn good football,” one fan wrote on X.

“Hynes has been unbelievable in this year’s finals, showing what he can do,” another said.

“Nicho Hynes, wow,” a third added.

Nicho Hynes had a hand in everything. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

It comes after Hynes lashed out at the lack of “respect” afforded to him and the Sharks despite playing finals footy the last four years.

“Nobody gives us a chance – ever,” Hynes told the SMH.

“If we win, it’s about how they (the other team) were injured, or how they’re players are missing, or they didn’t play well.

“We’ve been to the finals four years in a row, and still nobody gives us a chance … I just don’t think that we get any respect – ever.”

And that was a message he echoed again at full-time.

“No one expected us to be here but here we are going to a prelim,” Hynes told Triple M after full-time.

The Sharks will face the Storm in Melbourne for a spot in the grand final next week.

Originally published as NRL elimination final Raiders vs. Sharks live: Nicho Hynes proves doubters wrong with epic display