There is simply no greater lightning rod for criticism in this game than Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes.
When results are going the Sharks way, it's "all hail our wet haired Prince". The second the results turn negative though, there are calls to shift Hynes anywhere from fullback to Perth.
As a Sharks fan of, well since my earliest memories, I understand it. Depending on which week you catch me, I can firmly in each camp. Sometimes, impossibly, in both.
For those who don't know me, I am a life-long, long suffering Sharks fan. No one in the world loves the Sharks more than I do.
Those who do know me know that no one in the world hates the Sharks more than I do either.
I'm not one to pull punches or try and appease viewers, listeners, readers etc.
This is a full, serious, brutally honest assessment on Cronulla's star number seven Nicholas Hynes.
Let me start by saying Hynes is the easy scapegoat for Cronulla's "struggles" despite the fact the club has played in two preliminary finals since his arrival.
Actually let's start with Nicho's Cronulla stint. Below are his stats against two premier, undisputed superstar number sevens. Both are universally loved.
They've played similar games, in similar situations, in the same role at halfback.
Since 2022
Nicho Hynes: 29 tries, 106 try assists, 132 line-break assists
Nathan Cleary: 27 tries, 100 try assists, 88 line-break assists
Jahrome Hughes: 42 tries, 102 try assists, 95 line-break assists
Of course, stats aren't everything, but it immediately puts pain to the ridiculous argument that Hynes is responsible for the Sharks crashing out every season.
Simply put, he's the reason the Sharks are in the finals every year, even if he has been unable to deliver on the grandest of stages.
It also puts a pin in the eye-rolling calls to move Hynes to fullback. Forget the asinine shouts from some that want Hynes shifted into the lock position.
Let's not forget that Hynes has played one game at fullback since 2021, and it was awful.
During that time he has delivered finals footy to the Shire every single year, whilst pocketing a Dally M medal.
Not bad for some supposed overpaid lock playing halfback. Am I right?
I had someone on social media put him up against Jarome Luai as the "worst signing of all time" recently.
If Hynes had the number six on his pack, despite him playing as a five-eighth for the better part of 18 months, or was paid in the mid 700,000s, the discourse would be halved right away.
The fact is though, he is on a million dollars a season and does wear the number seven.
A million dollar halfback should deliver a premiership. I know they all can't, but if you're on a million dollars a year and the club's main man, there are no excuses.
I could honestly offer up a number of excuses for Hynes.
Will Kennedy is probably going to win the club player of the year award but he's not Dylan Edwards, James Tedesco, the Hammer or Kalyn Ponga. The four fullbacks left this weekend.
His coach, Craig Fitzgibbon has absolutely robbed him of X-factor out wide. This despite the club boasting two speedsters lighting up the NSW Cup competition for laughs.
Instead he is stuck with the slowest backline in the competition. Someone recently offered up the Bulldogs as a slow team but they'd still lap the current Sharks crop.
Whilst on speed, Hynes is one of the slower halves in the game. He and his halves partner Braydon Trindall are the most potent halves pairing in the game when it comes to try assists, yet the slowest in the game.
Hynes does cop this ridiculous label of only being able to beat the bad teams.
Mind you, the definition of "bad teams" changes depending on what is convenient.
Hynes tore the Broncos to shreds earlier in the year. That's right, the 2025 NRL premiers. Yet as they were outside the eight at the time, it was downhill skiing.
He scored 30 points and had three try assists in the club's 66-0 win over the Dolphins, who currently sit in a preliminary final, as big favourites.
Yet they didn't play finals footy the year prior, so he didn't beat a top eight side from the year gone by.
None of these qualifiers apply to any other player in the competition mind you.
I am genuinely convinced that the Sharks could win the competition and go undefeated yet someone would still pull a stat to show the Sharks "suck".
I'm not here to defend Hynes. I've said numerous times, across multiple platforms, that his inconsistencies drive me round the bend.
That said, I know full well that if Hynes hadn't played a game this season, the Sharks finish 10th.
Don't give me those cherrypicked stats about win percentages with and without Hynes. They don't take context into account. Origin-affected games, number of games, it's all ignored for the sake of a "gotcha".
See how little the Sharks threatened the Roosters, despite setting up camp in the opposition 20?
Braydon Trindall was attacking with one shoulder while Niwhai Puru was hamstrung by not being up to that level.
You'd have to think a player with 23 try assists and 25 line-break assists this season would have threatened.
I'm not saying the Sharks win that game, or even get close, if Hynes isn't knocked out in the first 90 seconds.
I am, 110 per cent saying though that the Sharks aren't there on the night if Hynes isn't kitted out in black, white and blue for 20 games that season.
I understand the criticism. I share the frustration.
That said, the Sharks would be absolutely out of their mind to move Hynes on right now.
He has delivered finals football each and every year during his stint at the club.
The Sharks next man up in the halves, Riley Pollard, is a future star. I've been sure of it since he was pulling teams apart as a Panther in the junior reps.
He's also one game into his NRL career, in this his first full season of NSW Cup.
If you want to lodge an argument to moving to Pollard from Hynes in 2028, I'll hear you out, but even as the most impatient man in the world I know a move in 2027 isn't on the cards.
Does Hynes deserve criticism? Undoubtedly!
He cops the most unfair wrap though of any player in the competition. It's not even close.
Jahrome Hughes hasn't copped a word despite missing finals this year. He has the same amount of premierships as Hynes since 2022.
Anyone out running a 24/7 news cycle on Mitch Moses despite not taking the Eels to a finals series this side of the Titanic sinking?
Don't give me that "oh he's been injured" argument either. The best ability is availability.
Hynes probably deserves about 40 per cent of what he cops.
Any shouts to shift him to fullback, or lock, just rob the Sharks of their halves combination that have produced more assists than any other combination since they joined forced.
If you want to state that Hynes has been unable to win the biggest of games and deliver a Premiership to the Shire, I cannot argue with you.
Don't pretend for a second though that he hasn't been been the reason the Sharks even make Finals for the past five years.
