NRL: Nicho Hynes presents Paul Green medal to son of late rugby league great

Nicho Hynes won the inaugural Paul Green Medal with a stunning performance on Thursday night - but as proud as the Cronulla star was to win the award, he was happy to gift it to a special young boy.

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v North Queensland Cowboys - Nicho Hynes, Paul Green Medal. Picture Grant Trouville/ NRL Photos

The class of Nicho Hynes continues.

In a moving and heartfelt gesture, the Sharks star has gifted his inaugural Paul Green medal to the late-footballer’s 10-year-old son, Jed.

Hynes also ripped his man-of-the match jersey off his back following the Sharks win over the Cowboys on Friday night to present it to Green’s 14-year-old daughter, Emerson.

The unscripted presentation by Hynes unfolded inside the Cronulla dressing rooms after their 44-6 win over North Queensland at PointsBet Stadium.

It was the first match that the two clubs had played for the Paul Green medal.

Every time we think we couldn't possibly love Nicho Hynes more, he goes and does this…… 🥺#UpUppic.twitter.com/KeDANi8hvq

— Cronulla Sharks (@cronullasharks) April 28, 2023

Green, who passed away last year, shares a long and celebrated history with both clubs.

More than 50 friends and family, including Green’s wife Amanda, were part of the emotional pre and post-match celebration of Green’s life (see below).

“What an amazing guy, what he did for my two kids last night, I’ll forever be thankful,’’ Amanda said.

“The smiles on their faces were priceless.’’

Nicho Hynes hugs Amanda Green after the match. Picture: NRL Photos

Nicho Hynes handed his Paul Green Medal to Jed Green. Picture Grant Trouville/ NRL Photos

Hynes said he felt the gesture was the right thing to do.

“It was special just to see those kids smiling, after everything they’ve been through,’’ Hynes said.

“And if I could do something so little, by giving Emerson my jersey with the number seven on the back like Paul once wore and hand Jed the first ever medal, as much as I was honoured to receive it, I felt that it’s more important for them to hold onto.’’

(L-R) Jed, Green, Nicho Hynes and Emerson Green. Picture: NRL Photos

HIP DROP: NANAI RUBBED OUT OF ORIGIN

Queensland star Jeremiah Nanai has been rubbed out of Origin after being whacked with a long suspension following a hip drop tackle on Braden Hamlin-Uele.

Nanai is facing a four game ban for the tackle in North Queensland’s loss to Cronulla on Thursday night.

That suspension will rule him out of Origin. If he fights the charge and losses and he will miss five games.

It is Nanai’s third similar offence. The Sharks are awaiting scans for Hamlin-Uele who faces a stint on the sideline with his knee injury.

Teammates Scott Drinkwater and Coen Hess were also charged but will escape bans with early guilty pleas. Nanai was sin-binned for his tackle.

“I haven’t reacted that way ever in a game, and as accidental as it was, it was dirty,” Hamlin-Uele said.

“I know he [Nanai] doesn’t want to go out there and injure me, but he did.

“And he has to accept the fact it was dirty. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did, and I apologise for that part of it, but it’s one of those hard ones to judge.

“I feel like the punishment should fit the crime now. I’ll leave that one to the match review committee.

“I did hear a pop. I didn’t react the way I did because it was a fake injury. I’m in a brace now.”

COWBOYS CALAMITY: INJURIES, STARS ON REPORT IN SHARKS SMASHING

By Matt Cleary

If Nicho Hynes isn’t the best halfback in the NRL he’s playing like it. He’s also playing like the game’s best five-eighth. Maybe best player period.

Regardless, you sense the only thing keeping Jarome Luai in a blue jumper with the number six on the back is Nathan Cleary.

Even that may not be enough.

Hynes was the dominant figure in Cronulla’s 44-6 demolition of disappointing North Queensland Cowboys at PointsBet Stadium on Thursday night.

Playing like a hybrid of halfback and five-eighth, Hynes was a threat on his feet, threw fizzing torpedo passes both ways, kicked well high, long, short and wobbly, attacked both edges and managed the game from the middle.

He also scored a try, kicked eight goals and made a grass-cutting tackle. Hynes was not surprisingly adjudged winner of the inaugural Paul Green Medal as man-of-the-match, and delivered a fine, heartfelt speech.

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon — who as winning coach was the sole judge — reckoned he could have picked three or four of his players.

“Everyone did their job, everyone committed to the plan we had. It was pleasing,” Fitzgibbon said.

.

Nicho Hynes was superb against as the Sharks smashed the Cowboys. Picture: Getty Images

“It was a difficult one. I thought [hooker] Blayke Brailey was outstanding. He’s been good all year. And [prop] Braden Hamlin-Uele was another we thought was close.

“But I just thought it was fitting [to award the medal to] the Sharks number seven. I thought his kicking game tonight was outstanding. And we needed him to do that tonight to mount pressure.”

Elsewhere for Cronulla Ronaldo Mulitalo scored a double, Hamlin-Uele ran like a Brahman Bull and Siosifa Talakai turned on the party tricks and ran for 177 metres.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, rooted to third last on the ladder, are running out of excuses. Yes, they were missing Jason Taumalolo. But they still trotted out eight Origin players, a Kiwi international and Scott Drinkwater.

And the Sharks ran through them like horses through wheat.

Sione Katoa celebrates with his Sharks teammates after scoring a try. Picture: Getty Images

A visibly crestfallen Cowboys coach Todd Payten said his team’s effort was “not NRL standard”.

“I’m not happy at all. A lot of tries didn’t come from the system’s breakdown, they came from one-on-one misses. [Sione] Katoa went over in the first half, we had two shots on him that should’ve been made … tackling is hurting us,” Payten said.

“I’m not offering up any excuses. That was far from NRL standard tonight.”

Adding to the Cowboys woes Chad Townsend went off injured while young gun Tom Chester suffered a suspected serious knee injury.

Jeremiah Nanai sent to the bin for a hip drop on Hamlin-Uele, who was angered and carried off. Nanai was later charged by the NRL’s match review committee and faces a four-week ban.

Fitzgibbon later confirmed Hamlin-Uele had suffered a medial ligament injury.

Chad Townsend and the Cowboys had a tough night out. Picture: NRL Photos

The Sharks began the match with a hard charge by Hamlin-Uele and a dominant set, watched Kyle Feldt make an error at the play-the-ball before Hynes put some footwork on an apparently stagestruck Townsend before popping a fine ball for the thundering Talakai.

All game, the Sharks kept belting the Cowboys. Hamlin-Uele kept running. And Hynes kept sending his outside backs at the Cowboys’ edges.

When Talakai brilliantly tapped on Hynes’ pass for Mulitalo’s double, the Sharks had become circus performers. And the Cowboys looked like clowns..

Originally published as NRL: Nicho Hynes presents Paul Green medal to son of late rugby league great