‘I wasn’t ready’: Nicho Hynes comes clean on brutal Origin reality check

Cronulla Sharks star Nicho Hynes has come clean on the brutal impact of his 12-minute State of Origin debut nightmare.

Cronulla Sharks star Nicho Hynes has admitted his State of Origin debut dealt him a brutal reality check, admitting: “I wasn’t ready to put on another rep jersey for a while”.

Speaking on Triple M’s The Rush Hour with Gus, Jude & Wendell’s Hero, Highlight & Hardship podcast, Hynes said he only got over his controversial Origin debut when he pulled on an Australian jersey at the end of the season.

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Counting his Australian debut as a highlight of his career so far, Hynes said it was important to help him get over his Blues debut.

Hynes played just 12 minutes off the bench for the Blues in State of Origin game I last year, replacing Tom Trbojevic, who left the field for a head injury assessment.

But it was in the unfamiliar position of centre and the Maroons sent plenty of traffic in his direction.

Hynes was criticised after Cameron Munster set up what was the matchwinner, shrugging off the debutant before finding Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on the outside to streak away.

The Sharks half was dropped for the remaining two matches of the series and there were reports of a rift with then-coach Brad Fittler, a claim Hynes denied.

Hynes was inconsolable after the loss in Adelaide and it appear to impact his form, leading to the 27-year-old saying: “I let the state down and the team down that day.”

Hynes blamed himself for the loss. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

But Hynes, who won the Dally M Medal as the game’s best player in 2022, debuted for Australia at the end of last season in the Pacific Championship.

“After what happened with Origin last year, I wasn’t ready to put on another rep jersey for a while,” Hynes said on the Rush Hour podcast. “That’s how much it impacted me.

“Then again, the flip side, that made me learn so many lessons about me and have a harsh look at myself. I think that set me up to go and be in that Aussie squad, do that same bench role, do the same thing and I just went into that so confident.

“I went into the Prime Ministers and had a great week with Daly Cherry-Evans and he just made me feel 10-foot tall again and just gave me so much confidence in myself as a rugby league player and as a person.

“And once Cleary got ruled out and they called me in, I just felt so at home. I’d never felt more comfortable in a rep arena in my life and that was all because of those boys around me, backing me to be in that team and to play to my strengths. There’s probably no better feeling I’ve had in a long time.”

Hynes impressed on debut for Australia. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

As for his Origin nightmare, he admitted “the pressure probably got to me”, adding he was “defending like a halfback”, teaching him that if he was in the utility role again, he would ensure he learned all the roles he may be forced to play.

Hynes is being heavily tipped to add to his Origin tally with many early predictions handing him the No. 6 jersey alongside Nathan Cleary in the No. 7.

After eight rounds, Hynes’ Sharks are on top of the ladder and he is on top of the Dally M leaderboard.

But while Hynes will be the favourite to claim a second Dally M if his strong form continues in 2024, he admitted he’s more proud of his Provan-Summon Medals, which he’s won in 2022 and 2023.

The award is recognises players who have displayed the spirit of the game, rewarded for acts of sportsmanship, honesty, bravery and sportsmanship on field.

While Hynes has been a star of the game in recent years, he’s also had some hard times.

Hynes pointed to hardship, recounting when he was set to sign a two-year deal with Manly but was told via his manager that the coach at the time “said I won’t ever play first grade, they didn’t believe in me”.

Manly got that one wrong. Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Jude Bolton asked if he used the chip on his shoulder to inspire his career, Hynes replied: “Definitely”.

Hynes added leaving the Storm was “one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make”.

He said Billy Slater was “one of the biggest influences in my career at the time”, while saying Craig Bellamy “turned me into the person I am now”.

“I don’t think I ever would have become the person I’ve become if I didn’t go through the Melbourne Storm,” Hynes said.

“I would have loved to stay there my whole career and be a one-club player but things can’t happen in the way you’d like them sometimes and Craig was honest with me the whole time saying ‘I can’t promise you a starting spot but you’ll never play reserve grade again’.

“I was just ready to go spread my wings and go run my own team.”