Nicho Hynes has the perfect response on Saturday night after Andrew Johns described his form as “really poor” and said the $1 million halfback needed to step up in the finals. Hynes had a try, line break and six tackle breaks as the Sharks ended the Cowboys’ NRL season with a 26-16 victory.
The Cronulla halfback ran for 120 metres and kicked for 115m as he helped steer his side around with Braydon Trindall nursing a shoulder injury. His try in the 65th minute iced the game for Cronulla and silenced a lot of critics who constantly bag him for under-performing.
Nicho Hynes had a great response after Andrew Johns said he needed to do more. Image: Channel 9/Getty
Speaking last week in the lead-up to the finals, NRL Immortal Johns said Hynes needed to be much better if the Sharks were any chance to make a deep run. Speaking on the ‘Immortal Behaviour’ podcast, Johns declared that Hynes was “really poor” against Parramatta in Round 26 and needed to do more to justify his million-dollar per season contract.
“I really don’t know what’s wrong with them,” Johns said after Cronulla lost to the lowly-ranked Eels, Dragons and Raiders in quick succession. “They need more from Nicho, simple as that.
“Your marquee player, highest-paid player. I know all the talk about money, but when you’re the highest-paid player you own the result, especially if you wear the 7 on your back. With that money comes responsibility, especially in big games. They need more off Nicho, he was really poor last weekend against Parramatta.”
Nicho Hynes’ try sent the Sharks into the semi-finals. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Braydon Trindall heroics help Cronulla Sharks advance
Hynes’ response on Saturday night did a lot to silence the detractors, however he’ll face the gargantuan task of trying to take down the loser of the Panthers and Roosters game in the second week of the finals. Trindall was heroic against the Cowboys after he aggravated a shoulder injury that kept him out for a month but played through the pain.
“His shoulder is good … it’s pretty solid and his strength is really good,” coach Craig Fitzgibbon said after the game.
“After a month of footy he was obviously a little bit rusty, but I thought he kicked the ball as well as you can kick a ball. Him coming back allows Nicho to run the ball more, and he did that and got his moment too.”