‘I feel sorry for him’: Matt Burton’s classy message to Nicho Hynes after thrilling golden point finish

Matt Burton stepped up when it mattered most for the Bulldogs on Friday night, but the star five-eighth was quick to offer a message of support to Nicho Hynes after his costly miss.

It’s been a rough few weeks for Nicho Hynes who was dropped by the Blues and then missed a simple field goal in golden point for the Sharks. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon says the past few weeks are going to “shape” Nicho Hynes after he missed a field goal attempt on Friday that would have won his side the game, only for Matt Burton to ice his moment a minute later.

It’s been a difficult month for the former Dally M winner who was dropped from the Blues side after game one and then missed a sideline conversion against the Dolphins which would have sent the game into golden point.

The sharpshooter then missed a couple of conversions against Canterbury and sprayed a simple field goal attempt in golden point which would have put the Sharks level with the Storm on 26 competition points.

Nicho Hynes missed a golden opportunity to win the game for Cronulla to cap a tough month for the star halfback. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“It’s going to shape him,” Fitzgibbon said.

“He’s going to have to go through it. It’s part of the responsibility for him and he’s accepting of it far better (than in the past).

“He’s been stung before and he’s carried his divots a bit, but I feel in the past couple of weeks he acknowledges it.

“It’ll sting – of course it’s going to sting – but I feel like he’s ready to keep going after the moments. He didn’t shy away from it and put himself in positions, but he’s got to ice it.”

While Burton was elated to nail his attempt from 38 metres out, the five-eighth couldn’t help but feel sorry for his rival who he has got to know through their time together in Origin camp.

“I feel sorry for him a bit. He had the opportunity to ice it there, but that’s only going to make him better. I’ve been through the same thing and it only makes you better,” he said.

“He’s a class player and I have no doubt he’ll bounce back and be better for it.”

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Friday’s result was yet another stirring win for the Bulldogs who are on track to end their finals drought, and they can thank Burton for the two crucial competition points after he brushed aside a couple of long-range misses to nail the winner.

Burton has never shied away from the big moments having missed a number of field goal attempts in his second game for Penrith which didn’t deter him from wanting the ball.

“Having those lessons early in my career helps me now. Back then I was only fresh and there were a lot of things going through my head at the time. I feel like I’m more mature now, and it definitely helps having the previous shots at goal,” he said, inspired by a famous quote from NHL legend Wayne Gretzky.

“I don’t want to let my teammates down, that’s the biggest thing. After you miss, I don’t want to go into my shell and go away from the opportunity of hitting it.

“I remember reading something like ‘the ones you don’t take are the ones you miss’ so I just keep walking towards it.

“There’s no better feeling (than kicking the winning field goal). It’s off the back of all the boys’ hard work that they put in during the game, so to get one for them is pretty special.”

Matt Burton was ice cold with the game on the line. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo praised Burton for his “goldfish mindset”, and that’s something he had to adopt after he was controversially omitted from the Blues squad for game two despite being 18th man for the series opener.

“I’m never going to not put my hand up for the Blues. To put that jersey on is pretty special. Whatever happens, happens. I’m just glad to get the win tonight,” he replied when asked if he’d put his hand up for that role in the future.

“I’ve been trying to put my head down and work hard for the boys here. It was obviously disappointing, but I just had to put my head down and keep going and not really think about it too much.

“The Blues had a great win so I was stoked. It was a cracking game and they were all over them so I loved it.”