NRL 2024: Cronulla Sharks win 38-30 over Sydney Roosters in Magic Round
NSW coach Michael Maguire will sit down to select his side for the opening State of Origin game in just over a week and there isn’t much more Nicho Hynes can do to secure his name in halves.
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Nicho Hynes’ latest Origin audition got off to a flyer. Cronulla’s game against the Sydney Roosters was only minutes old when Hynes took the ball on the last tackle and turned the Roosters inside out, setting up a try for Will Kennedy.
The Sharks were off and running as they turned their game against the Roosters into a shootout. Defence was an after-thought and the attacking intent of both sides was made to order for Hynes, a gunslinger who is quickly learning the art of when to leave his six-shooter in the holster and when to pull the trigger.
He pulled the trigger plenty of times at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night and more often than not, he found the target as the Sharks’ solidified their status as one of the red-hot favourites to win the premiership.
NSW coach Michael Maguire will sit down to select his side for the opening State of Origin game in just over a week and there isn’t much more Hynes can do. He has led Cronulla to a four-point lead on the ladder, albeit with Penrith and Melbourne due to play on Sunday.
He has now slayed one of the NRL’s biggest dragons with a performance that had Origin written all over it. He did it after spending the week in doubt with a calf injury that had sidelined him from the club’s win over Melbourne.
He prodded and probed. More often than not, he selected the right options. He controlled the tempo, finished with two try assists and kicked seven goals from as many attempts.
If Maguire was watching - and chances are he was - he would surely have walked away impressed. Maguire has been stripped of options heading into Origin I through injuries to Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses.
He still has choice - Matt Burton and Jarome Luai are in the thick of it - but Hynes is playing as well as any of them as he looks to add to his lone appearance for the Blues,
“Obviously everyone wants to be in Origin - I want to play Origin, I want to put my hand up,” Hynes said.
“You can’t get there without playing good footy for the Sharks, and I can’t do it without my teammates and this Cronulla club.
“I have played enough footy this year to put my name forward and if missing this game didn’t get me picked, so be it.
“I have to get my body right for the Cronulla Sharks and that is more important than anything else.”
Tick that off. Hynes is playing as well as anyone in the NRL. Asked whether he was growing tired of being asked about Origin, Hynes said: “You have to - that is my job. Right now I am not focused on that. If I get the call from Madge (Maguire), I am ready to take it.”
His immediate priority is a date with Penrith next weekend, giving him a chance to go up against another of the contenders in Luai. A repeat performance and his case is surely irresistible.
So will the case for the Sharks to be regarded as genuine premiership threats.
“It is what we have been building for the last couple of years,” he said.
“We have stuck to the same team, the same coaching staff. It takes time to build something like this. We’re on our way but there is plenty of way to go.”
Match report - Sharks vs Roosters
Cronulla have announced themselves as genuine title contenders after knocking off another NRL heavyweight in back to back weeks, outlasting the Sydney Roosters in a thrilling 38-30 win at Suncorp Stadium.
The biggest slight on the Sharks’ charge up the ladder so far this season has been the side’s less than desirable record against top eight outfits.
But after overcoming Melbourne last week, without the guidance of halfback Nicho Hynes, in a gritty win, Craig Fitzgibbon’s men claimed the scalp of the Tricolours strengthening their case as title contenders on Saturday night.
Sutherland Shire cult hero Tom Hazelton helped put the result beyond doubt with a try in the 77th minute, in what was the prop’s fourth try in five games.
“There are photos of fans dressed up as Hazo pre-game, that’s outstanding. He’s scoring the tries but he’s working so hard getting on the front foot. Him and Oregon Kaufusi have been outstanding for us. They go about their work and get us in the game,” Sharks skipper Cameron McInnes said.
The Sharks survived a late scare after the Bunker failed to find sufficient evidence to overturn a no-try ruling to Roosters captain James Tedesco in the dying stages.
Cronulla’s seven game winning streak, which is also the club’s best start to a season since 1999 – when they won 10 of the first 11 matches that year – has seen their title odds move into $6 from $7.5 on the TAB.
A win against reigning premiers Penrith next week will silence detractors once and for all.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon said his side would have to find another gear against the Panthers.
“I thought we went backwards tonight but that was because of the quality of their performance in parts. They would be disappointed in some parts, we are disappointed about some parts of our game,” he said.
“We are improving, we are getting better. There’s still a long way to go and we need to be better next week.”
SEVENS SQUARED
The impact of Nicho Hynes was immediate last night, and in a relief for NSW Blues halves stocks, the halfback got through the full 80 minutes without showing any ill effects of the calf injury that sidelined him against the Storm.
“It’s (calf) a bit tight, as it would be after an 80 minute performance,” Hynes said after the match.
“ I didn’t do much training last week and I just have to look after it now and go again next week.”
The lack of training hardly hampered Hynes. He finished with two try assists and had a perfect night with the tee, kicking 7/7 in the nail biting contest.
Hynes returned from the minor calf injury to split the Roosters defence open on the left, laying on the ball for Jesse Ramien, who’s attacking kick beat a retreating Dom Young but was regathered by William Kennedy to open the scoring.
Not to be out done, Roosters no.7 Sam Walker pulled apart Cronulla’s left edge, with the help of Joseph Suaalii, catching the Sharks’ up and in defence with a silky shift of the ball for Young to finish off the move, levelling the scores early in the first half.
Walker’s unpredictability when he has the ball in his hands, and desire to probe the line, caused the Cronulla defence headaches all game long.
Hynes wanted to take one moment back last night, the normally reliable with the boot, kicked out on the full gifting the Roosters good field territory that was converted into points with a try to 250-game milestone man Daniel Tupou.
He repaid his side minutes later with 40/20, after fullback James Tedesco lost his bearing in defence, and laid on a try for Teig Wilton after regaining possession.
Hynes was also instrumental in Hazelton’s decisive try as the playmaker mounted an irresistible case for a Blues call-up after he was unceremoniously axed after game one in last year’s series.
ORIGIN AUDITIONS
Jesse Ramien and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii have moved up the NSW Blues pecking order after Bradman Best, a frontrunner to replace Tom Trbojevic at centre, suffered a hamstring injury in Newcastle’s thrilling win 80 minutes prior.
The opposing centres gave coach Michael Maguire plenty to think about. Suaalii played with intent on both sides of the ball, he was committed in the kick chase and uncompromising in defence and showed plenty of skill in drawing Cronulla defenders to send his winger Dom Young past over the tryline to open the Tricolours account.
His first stint soured was a professional foul, after he was caught in an offside position at marker and interfered with the play as Ronaldo Mulitalo burrowed towards the tryline.
Ramien arguably edged his nose in front on Saturday night with another powerhouse performance, finishing with 143 metres, one line break, another line break assist and two try assists, one where he drew in multiple defenders to set up Sione Katoa for a try on the right wing.
It was a showing that would have well and truly caught the attention of Maguire.
“He’s been really consistent this year Jesse, and consistency for him is hard work. He’s rolling his sleeves up and defending a lot harder. The boys love him, they love playing with him and I’m sure if he makes a NSW team, they will love him too,” Fitzgibbon said.
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