Cronulla halfback Nicho Hynes has refuted the widely held claim the Sharks’ premiership window is about to close, as the club suffers from finals wobbles and prepares to farewell some big-name stars at season’s end.
Since Hynes arrived at the Sharks from Storm in 2022, the club has played finals four years in a row but won only three of nine games, although they did the reach the preliminary final the last two seasons.
But at the end of 2026 they will bid goodbye to representative players Siona Katoa and centre Jesse Ramien (Cowboys), Siosifa Talakai (Perth Bears), Cameron McInnes (Super League) and Mawene Hiroti (Titans).
Balancing all that is crafty five-eighth Braydon Trindall, who returns early from a dislocated right shoulder for Saturday night’s elimination final against North Queensland, has just turned 27, while rising stars like forwards Tom Hazelton, Jesse Colquhoun and damaging centre KL Iro have only played 60-odd NRL games.
“Whenever we’re in this room preparing with the players we have at this club … I’d be doing an injustice to this club and the players coming through if I said this was our only premiership window,” Hynes said.
“It wouldn’t be right by the younger players as that would be saying we didn’t have belief in them.
“Whoever comes into this facility with a Sharks shirt on or a jersey is always going to do a great job because we’ve got the coaches and senior players here that make sure that standards are held.
“We’ve just got a good opportunity (this year) to try and win a premiership and hopefully we’ll be doing that for many years to come.”
First up is the Cowboys on Saturday night at Allianz Stadium with Trindall, whose nickname is ‘Tricky’, back in the No.6 jersey after three weeks out.
“Very keen … it’s been very tough sitting on the sidelines so very excited to be back.”
Trindall spoke to the media with his shoulder heavily strapped and not knowing yet if post-season surgery is required.
“I just had to get the strength back to where it was, or near-abouts, before I did it,” Trindall said.
“I’ve been working hard to get the mobility through it as well and it feels like it’s 100 per cent.”
He knows the Cowboys forward pack headed by Jason Taumalolo, Griffin Neame, Heilum Luki and Reuben Cotter will be heading straight for the joint.
“Yep, I’m ready.”
Hynes is also ready to reignite the halves partnership that was sporadic in 2022-24, but has been a regular feature for the Sharks the last two years.
“He brings more of a ‘7’ role to the team if you will,” Hynes said.
“I know I wear the No.7 - we can both play that sort of role, but he’s got an outstanding kicking game and can play on-ball a bit more which frees me up out the back to play my natural running game.
“That was our first run together out there today and it felt we were back on the bike again.
“When we’re chiming in together on both sides of the field it just feels natural.”
With a mediocre finals record of late, Hynes was asked which version of the Sharks needed to show up on Saturday.
“Just the best version, and all of you have seen some of the best version of the Sharks this year.
“If we bring that best version of the Sharks we’re going to be hard to stop.”
