Despite winning the game's highest honour by a record margin, Cronulla Sharks halfback and Dally M Medal winner Nicho Hynes has revealed that he could never have anticipated that his move to the Shire would result in such immediate personal success.
Hynes made headlines when he switched from the Melbourne Storm to the Sharks to take the lead playmaking role, but despite amassing a huge 38 votes in the end-of-season awards and steered the team to a second-place finish, he never considered the possibility his first season could be so successful.
“I never even thought I'd be in contention for this medal in my career,” Hynes told SEN's The Captain's Run.
“I knew that going to the Sharks I was going to have to work extremely hard.
“I just wanted to prove that I could be a solid NRL player in the halfback position. I wanted to repay the faith the Sharks have shown in me and I hope I've done that.
“But I never thought a Dally M was ever (a possibility) for me.
“I never thought of myself in that calibre, I never thought I'd reach those heights.”
Hynes and St George Illawarra halfback Ben Hunt were the favourites to claim the award, but in the end it wasn't even close. Within three rounds, Hunt's lead had already been reeled in, and by the end there was only ever one clear winner.
“My heart started pumping once they showed the votes (from Round 12) and then the next two rounds,” Hynes said.
“I didn't think I was going to poll any points but (then) I got a two and a three and my heart was pumping.
“I just thought ‘holy crap, this is happening'.”
“I wasn't nervous one bit before it, but when that period came I was a nervous wreck.”
Hynes also took home the Provan-Summons award, given to the player who best displays on-field acts of sportsmanship and respect.
