Should Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes be overlooked for Game 1 in the upcoming State of Origin series, the failure to acknowledge his outstanding form will raise plenty of eyebrows.
It would also continue a pattern. The 26-year-old was not selected in the World Cup touring party late in 2022, despite leading the Sharks to second on the premiership ladder last season.
Hynes also romped home individually in the Dally M Medal count, tallying the highest number of votes ever achieved under the previous voting system. Shark Park came alive each and every time the team turned on the style last season, with Hynes the conductor both in setting up his mates and his individual performances.
The halfback is threatening to back up his Medal win with another, trailing Payne Haas by seven votes as the final week of publicised results looms and the count heads behind closed doors for the remainder of the season.
Nicho Hynes deserved his 2022 Dally M Medal, as well as a spot in the World Cup squad. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
After something of a clunky start to the 2023 season without Hynes, the Sharks have chalked up five wins from their last seven after his return, established some serious momentum and their talisman’s influence has grown as the overall team performances have improved.
Having now proven his credentials across an extended period of time and as undoubtedly one of the most valuable players in the competition, it is time NSW coach Brad Fittler gave Hynes his just desserts and an Origin jersey.
Plenty will cite the excellent recent form of Jarome Luai with the Panthers and his proven and successful combination with teammate Nathan Cleary on the representative stage, yet another snub to the man from the Sutherland Shire will simply confirm in his mind that no matter how well he performs on a week to basis, others have the inside running.
Hynes enjoyed a small taste of Origin in 2022, named as 18th man for the opening two matches before contracting COVID-19 shortly before the final clash that saw the Maroons stun the favoured Blues by 22-12.
Both then and now, the thinking appears to be that the Panthers links make Cleary and Luai the logical selections, particularly considering five more players from the foot of the mountains made appearances during the series.
Frankly, it is a little tiring hearing of these so-called combinations and their success, especially when they failed to beat a Queensland team that many felt the Blues should have been able to dominate across most areas.
Fittler was clear prior to Game 1 around his selection decisions. “I can see the fact with Penrith players all around, those combinations are always good,” he said.
Should the Blues win the upcoming series and Cleary and Luai remain uninjured if chosen, the non-selection of Hynes will continue to have fans guessing whether they will ever find out if he is a custom-made Origin player that could potentially offer Fittler something valuable.
Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai. Would Blues coach Brad Fittler dare break up this combination? (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
The poise that the Gosford-born half shows under the most intense pressure is has greatest attribute, along with his deft passing and kicking games that continue to draw Dally M voters’ eyes to him on a weekly basis. Nothing is lost defensively, with Hynes having been well schooled by master-coach Craig Bellamy during his time in Melbourne.
Plenty of paper talk suggests Fittler may well find a spot for Hynes on the bench inside the 17, and the coach did use Damien Cook and Stephen Crichton as non-power forwards off the bench in 2022. Yet with the riches available to Fittler, squeezing them all in will be tricky and a back up dummy-half option does appear to be his preferred strategy.
Whether Hynes is the best man for that job is doubtful, despite his obvious ability to play it, and many other roles due to his utility value.
It would be a disappointing start to the series for Hynes, despite his obvious quality as a person sure to hide any sign of it. Despite some personal challenges off the field and plenty of media attention, he has handled himself with class and maturity since arriving in Sydney; becoming one of the game’s best leaders and most respected players.
Combined with his consistent body of work on the field, I’d suggest that demands an Origin jersey, particularly with the Blues needing to be better in 2023.
Hynes could make them better, yet we might never find out.
David Roderick
Roar Rookie
You make a number of quite valid points, in particular the notion that sport and war must follow exactly the same rules, something made quite clear in Sun Tzu's seminal work "The Art of Rugby League".
matth
Roar Guru
My only query on Hynes is that Cronulla’s defense is questionable and they didn’t fire last year when the whips were cracking.
Cwizzle
Roar Rookie
As a PENRIFF supporter, have we all forgotten that NSW lost last year? Love Luai, but he is incumbent from a series losing side. You have to have the best players in a side. Hynes has to be in the squad. Having RCG injured isn't that bad.... Commonly goes missing up against the other forwards..
sheek
Roar Guru
David Roderick, Sadly, you have demonstrated a total lack of understanding of my statement. Your man who is a policeman, coach & father can be expressed as 1a, 1b & 1c. They are still variations of (1) one. But an Australian, Samoan & Tongan can be expressed as 1, 2 & 3. Therefore they are entirely different entities. In a war, you can only serve one flag. Those who try to serve multiple flags end up being tagged as traitors & get shot. Or worse. In sport, it should be exactly the same. You tried to be clever by too much, & fell flat on your face. But thanks for dropping by, all the same.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
I know that’s how you put the list together. Just goes to show how worthless the Dally M evaluations are.
Dutski
Roar Guru
That’s what the Dally M points have. When Blake Lawrie and Klemmer are two of your top 3 props you know the big men are not in good form. To be fair RCG would have been there if he wasn’t injured.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Yep, I'm not arguing for combinations, just pointing out that when people get so wound up in that other obvious contradictions appear.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
You have Klemmer in your line up? Why not put Woods in there with him? :laughing:
Panthers
Roar Rookie
There’s no Steve Mortimer’s or Greg Alexander’s any more. That have the individual talent to turn a game around based on their own brilliance.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Take your point. Yet some Queensland supporters on here before, saying how Queensland have just chosen individual players to win a game. Not worry about team combinations.
mushi
Roar Guru
I'm on record that Nico is an obvious choice but to make it so binary is reductive. They pick a team they think can win not "deserving individuals " The choices may be wrong but that doesn't mean form was ignored
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Isn’t the difference that Tedesco has much better state of origin form to fall back on?
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
When Qld are up 2 games to 0, Hynes will finally get a go.
Pop
Roar Rookie
If NSW lose Game 1, there will be changes to their line up for Game 2. Luai OUT Hynes IN. Problem is Hynes comes in at the cauldron, which is a different beast altogether as Gus Gould keeps pointing out. Hynes could be in a no win situation.
Phil
Roar Rookie
I’ve read with interest a lot of comments on the NSW 5/8 spot and a lot of them have merit. For me, it would be Hynes at 6 with Luai to miss out. Hynes is the current Dally M champ and on form he must be picked. Luai had a good game last week, an absolute beauty, rep standard but one classy game after ten rounds have passed and against a miserably performing team is not enough to warrant selection over Hynes. There are those who like and insist on club combinations but as someone else here has stated before me, it didn’t work last year. These blokes in contention for a rep jersey are all top notch players, hard-nosed professionals who could strike up partnerships with other players of their level. To suggest otherwise is demeaning of them. The only possible handicap to NSW’s chances this year is the coach and his selection ideas like omitting JAC last year. My confidence in Freddy nose-dived when his team couldn’t beat the “worst QLD team ever” a couple of years ago. It could be a crackerjack of a series this year, the only negative is the first game being played in Adelaide. Why I say that is the RL heartland fans will miss out on seeing it live but money talks and SA must have some money. Looking forward to game 1.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
That's a point, but given there is so much talk about combinations that pushes Edward up the list.
David Roderick
Roar Rookie
We went from A to B to C to D ... and then suddenly leapt off the page and landed in the middle of an identity argument ... Surely a man can possess many identities simultaneously ... for example I know a man who is a policeman, a coach and a father ... he regularly does all three on the same day ... surely I it must be possible to be a 5/8, a Samoan and a NSW player all at the same time. (I've even seen Cameron Smith play and referee at the same time!)
Dutski
Roar Guru
So swap them. Hynes 7 Cleary 6. I just put them that way because Hynes has played more 6 than Cleary has.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
I still don’t know how Kennedy isn’t the next best fullback, if Tedesco isn’t doing as well? He’s fast & can make a break by himself, joins in the backline to put other players through a gap. Backs up better than anyone else to score . Great at getting to short kicks in goal. Is safe & fairly tall under kicks & not bad in defence.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Everyone will be offside as per normal in SOO , where punching out a player while your mate holds him doesn’t result in a permanent send off. That changes everything , as compared to other games.