Star Cronulla Sharks' halfback Nicho Hynes believes he is a better player now than he was 12 months ago, but is refusing to let Origin speculation enter his mindset.
Hynes was again among the best on ground during Saturday night's win over the Canterbury Bulldogs at Homebush, with the halfback assisting a pair of tries, running the ball for 93 metres and kicking for more than 400 metres.
A true controller of his team, Hynes' running game and exceptional halves play has left him firmly in the State of Origin contention for Brad Fittler's combination come Game 1 on May 31 in Adelaide.
While the Penrith Panthers' duo of Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary has been used in recent series, Hynes' form may be too good to ignore in potentially slotting him into the number six jumper given Luai's underwhelming series last year and indifferent start to the 2023 premiership.
Despite the two-horse race that has broken out, Hynes said at the post-game press conference that he tries to ignore the speculation and goes as far as to delete social media in the 24 hours out from kick-off.
"I try to avoid it as much as I can," Hynes said.
"But I have social media so it pops up in front of me a lot. I try not to read the comments and delete my socials 24 hours before a game so I can steer clear of that and narrow my focus.
"It's going to continue to happen. If we keep winning games and play good football, it's going to happen. All I can control is my performances for the Sharks and winning games.
"If it happens, it happens. I don't want to think about that too much because then I won't do the justice for the team. I'll be thinking about that and won't put good performances in."
Despite a record-breaking 2022 campaign where Hynes was the best player in the competition by the length of the straight, recording the highest number of Dally M Medal voters in history, he said he still improving as a player.
His attitude towards training and improvement has been widely praised by coach Craig Fitzgibbon previously, but in what could be a big warning to rest of the competition, Hynes said a new contract at the Sharks that is reported to make him one of the game's richest players will not see him slow down on an appetite for improvement and learning.
"I think I'm a better player than I was 12 months ago," Hynes said.
"I keep continuing to learn and working hard. The coaching staff put hard work into me and I put work in on the training paddock.
"There is always something to work on no matter what happened the previous year or the previous game. You can never be too good for your boots. I've got something to work on again from this week.
"If I wasn't a better player than I was 12 months ago then I shouldn't be playing footy. I've got a good contract now, I've earned that, and I have to keep showing the faith they have showed in me."
Coach Fitzgibbon, who was impressed with his side's win over the Bulldogs, said Hynes is ready for Origin on the back of the fearlessness that he plays the game with.
"Yeah, I think he is ready," Fitzgibbon said.
"I've said it a few times this week - it's not up to me to select the team. But he is ready. He is fearless. Sometimes a bit too fearless, but he is fearless in the way he plays, and big moments or big occasions don't scare him, so that's Origin. He might not get an opportunity at Origin, but if it comes, he is going to take it."
Brad Fittler will select his New South Wales side for Game 1 on May 21, with the series opener to take place in Adelaide ten days later on May 31.