Nicho Hynes is the darling of the NRL at the moment, and it’s not just his stellar on-field performances that are earning him plaudits.
The Sharks halfback was excellent in their crushing 44-6 win over North Queensland last night in the Shire, earning himself the inaugural Paul Green Medal, the man of the match award that remembers the Cowboys’ Premiership winning coach, who made just shy of 100 appearances in the black, white and blue of Cronulla.
Over 50 of Green’s friends and family had assembled in the Shire to celebrate his contribution to both clubs, and following the presentation of the medal to Hynes, he immediately handed it over to the late coach’s son, Jed.
He also gave the match-worn number 7 jumper – the same number that Green wore at the Sharks – to his daughter, Emerson.
“What an amazing guy, what he did for my two kids last night, I’ll forever be thankful,” Green’s widow Amanda told the Daily Telegraph. “The smiles on their faces were priceless.”
Hynes himself added that it was the least he could do for the family.
Nicho Hynes with the children of Paul Green, Jed and Emerson after receiving the Paul Green Medal. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“It was special just to see those kids smiling, after everything they’ve been through,” said the reigning Dally M Medallist.
“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.”
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