Nicho Hynes has found a home at the Sharks — but believes he “wouldn’t be here today” if it wasn’t for the Storm.
In fact, the reigning Dally M medallist believes joining the Storm was “100 per cent” the sliding doors moment of his career.
Hynes has become one of the biggest names in rugby league after a stunning first season with the Sharks at halfback.
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Prior to that he spent three years with the Storm where he enjoyed a breakout season at fullback in 2021.
Speaking on the Fox League Podcast to celebrate Indigenous Round, Hynes admitted it was “so intimidating” to join the Storm at first but it turned out to be a life-changing opportunity.
“(It’s) honestly the best thing I’ve ever done in my life and career,” he said.
“I wouldn’t be sitting here today… If I didn’t go via the Melbourne Storm I don’t reckon I would’ve played an NRL game.
“What they teach you, the tools they have, they teach you to be a better person, to be a better player. Family, culture — I can’t speak highly enough of the Storm.”
FOX LEAGUE PODCAST – NICHO HYNES
The Sharks superstar joins Darcie McDonald to chat Indigenous Round, his rapid rise from working as a teacher’s’s aide in Mackay to winning the Dally M. He also reveals the sliding doors moment of his career. Listen now >>>
The 26-year-old’s story is pretty well-known. He played in Manly’s lower grades before they let him go once he graduated from their under 20s side.
“I thought it was all going to happen at Manly. I was about to sign a deal and then they said ‘nup, we don’t want you’,” Hynes recalled.
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He went on the hunt for a full-time deal with any other NRL club but didn’t have much luck. He initially wasn’t keen on the idea of a part-time reserve grade contract, but then the Cowboys’ Queensland Cup feeder side, Mackay Cutters, called.
And that was something Hynes — a big Johnathan Thurston fan — couldn’t pass up.
“(I thought) ‘maybe I need to get out of my comfort zone’. I followed my Cowboys my whole life and figured how easy would it be? I go up there, have a good year in reserve grade and sign with the Cowboys,” he said.
“I thought it was going to be that easy — but it did not happen that way at all.”
The funny thing is, Hynes made the big move to Mackay for the one thing he didn’t want in Sydney — a part-time deal.
Why?
“I was someone — well, I still am — where I like to feel wanted and loved,” Hynes explained before adding the Cutters rang him every day and went “above and beyond” to get him there.
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Hynes, who battled some off-field issues in his first year with Mackay, juggled his footy with a job as a teacher’s aide, which he credits for helping him overcome his own hurdles.
“I loved it so much. I didn’t realise how much I would love that job until I experienced it,” he said.
“I was working at a school where it’s got some troubled kids that need to be looked after a bit more, in a low socio-economic area, which suited me to a t because I was a bit like that growing up.
“That’s when I went through my off-field mental health stages. I was rocking up every day and they were changing my life more than I was changing theirs. They were rocking up every day with a smile despite some of the things they were going through.”
He believes the job “massively” put his life into perspective.
“(I was like) ‘wow, this has changed my life’. I loved going every day… I played touch footy with them at lunch time and even a bit of handball.
“It changed my perspective on life and it made me start enjoying my life again. Then once I started enjoying my life, I started enjoying rugby league again.
“You look back and go ‘wow it was such a long journey to get here,’ but the journey from playing reserve grade in Mackay to now has gone so quick.
“There’s been a lot of hard work in that and none of this can happen unless you play good footy and work hard off the field.”
Hynes’ form with the Cutters caught the attention of Storm feeder side Sunshine Coast Falcons, who first approached him over some beers at the pub.
It was a part-time deal again because another player had already snapped up the pre-season opportunity with the Storm. But given the Cowboys hadn’t shown any interest he took it.
And then the doors opened.
The Falcons player’s pre-season deal had fallen through and it was offered to Hynes.
“I had a missed call and a voice message from Adam O’Brien actually… I listened to it and it said ‘hey mate, this is Adam O’Brien from the Storm.’ I was like ‘holy dooley, what the hell’,” Hynes recalled.
“I had been at the Mackay Cutters for a couple of years and the Cowboys hadn’t even spoken to me and then two weeks of being in talks with Sunshine Coast and the Storm, I’ve had them offer me a pre-season, then I’ve had the assistant coach of the team call me.”
“I was like ‘that’s where I need to be’.”
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It didn’t quite all go to plan though at first.
“Adam O’Brien left to go to the Roosters before I got there so I was like ‘oh no, the guy who’s called me and might like me has gone so I’m screwed’,” Hynes laughed.
But there was no need to worry. He impressed so much during pre-season that after a month back on the Sunshine Coast, Melbourne brought him down to sign a full-time NRL contract.
Fast forward to 2020 and Hynes sat on the bench for the Storm in the grand final — albeit he didn’t get on the field.
The following season he filled in for the injured Ryan Papenhuyzen and became one of the most sought-after players coming off contract.
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The Sharks took what was considered a gamble at the time by signing Hynes to be their No.7.
There were doubts over whether he could be the game-managing halfback Cronulla needed, but instead he led them to a semi-final and won the Dally M medal — which he doesn’t have on display at home because he doesn’t want to seem “arrogant.”
He’s also inked a five-year extension said to be worth close to $6 million.
Not bad for the young man that was a part-timer in Mackay five years ago.
“I still haven’t come to terms with the Dally M… I never have it in my hands and look at it,” he said.
“But the contract, that’s pretty amazing.
“It’s very humbling to talk about, it’s overwhelming because I just thought I’d never be in that position to sign a long-term deal that can set up my life and be at a club that wants me to be there and care so much about me.
“I’ve had a lot of pinch myself moments over the last 18 months. It’s just so humbling and I just really, really respect the reaction I get off people. I’m in a cool place at the moment.”