Nicho Hynes' Origin journey has been a shaky one, to say the least, with the superstar halfback moving from unlikely NSW centre to unwanted bench utility in the space of two seasons.

Hynes is the heart and soul of the Cronulla Sharks, controlling and elevating his side whenever he's on the pitch. With a Dally M medal and multiple finals appearances under his belt, one would only assume a successful Origin career was on the horizon for the 28-year-old.

While this still could be the case, his current representative trajectory is looking bleak, with Laurie Daley delivering another blow to the halfback's Origin hopes.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 12: Blues coach Laurie Daley looks dejected after game three of the State Of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium on July 12, 2017 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Daley put together a meet and greet in Sydney last weekend, which featured NSW stars Nathan Cleary, Mitchell Moses, Tom Trbojevic, and 25 others.

Hynes would be forgiven for feeling bitter after being left out; however, he insists there's no bad blood following the snub.

"Nah, I haven't spoken to him [Daley], and I'm not bothered," Hynes told Wide World of Sports on Wednesday.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 31: Nicho Hynes of the Sharks runs the ball during the round four NRL match between Cronulla Sharks and Canberra Raiders at PointsBet Stadium, on March 31, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

He went even further to claim that the Blues are the last thing on his mind, with his sights set firmly on success with the Cronulla Sharks.

"I'm in a happy place. I just want to make sure the Sharks are in a position to be winning a premiership, and that's all I really care about ... I just want to go out there and play footy and be a happy man."

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 31: Nicholas Hynes of the Blues looks dejected after defeat during game one of the 2023 State of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and New South Wales Blues at Adelaide Oval on May 31, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Hynes has solidified himself as the Sharks main man, which is why his constant Blues snubs have come to the shock of fans. While he remained firm in his nonchalant attitude, he conceded he was looking at the situation from a realistic perspective rather than a hopeful one.

"It's out of my control. They didn't want me there; I'm not there. If they wanted me there, I'd be there. I'm a realist, and this is how it is."

When the conversation shifted to incoming Blues coach Laurie Daley, Hynes revealed he was not contacted about missing the event.

"If he wanted to pick up a phone and have a chat to me about it [not being invited to the meet-and-greet], then he could have".

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 20: Blues coach Laurie Daley walks out onto the field during a New South Wales Blues State of Origin captain's run at ANZ Stadium on June 20, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

When asked about the former Storm utility's absence from the event, Daley remained firm on his stance and discussed how it would affect the Blues 2025 campaign.

"Nothing is locked in now, it's too early, we could easily pick a player that isn't in this 28 because in reality we could pick 50 players to come in," Daley admitted, per News Corp.

"Last year there were a number of players that weren't in the original squad that ended up playing in the series. I can give you three examples in Mitch Barnett, Connor Watson [and] Angus Crichton, that didn't make the initial squad but ended up making the team.

"If you're playing well, you'll be considered."

While Hynes' snubbing may have come as a disappointment to NRL fans, the Sharks star was more optimistic.

"I got to train for the Sharks [on Saturday]," he said. "We had a good training session."

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 06: Nicholas Hynes of the Sharks runs the ball during the round 19 NRL match between Wests Tigers and Cronulla Sharks at CommBank Stadium on July 06, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The Sharks look set to contend for a premiership this season, and with Addin Fonua-Blake joining the ranks and the Blues inadvertently lighting a fire under a focused Nicho Hynes, Cronulla fans should get excited.