Former NRL player turned recruitment officer Alex McKinnon has suggested Cronulla needs to rethink Nicho Hynes' role, arguing that the 2022 Dally M-winning halfback should transition into a ball-playing lock.
With Braydon Trindall emerging as the dominant playmaker, McKinnon believes Hynes' size and skill set could make him a more effective No.13, similar to Isaah Yeo.
โCronulla are a genuine top-four football team, but they're going to have to think outside the box if they want to take the next step and win a premiership,โ McKinnon said, speaking with Fox Sports
Hynes' transition from a Melbourne utility to Cronulla's halfback was initially a masterstroke, culminating in his Dally M success, but McKinnon believes the emergence of Trindall has diminished Hynes' influence in the halves.
โIt's pretty obvious that Braydon Trindall is now the man steering that side around the park,โ he said.
Instead of persisting with Hynes at halfback, McKinnon argues the Sharks should consider shifting him to lock, where his ball-playing skills and mobility could provide another dimension to Cronulla's attack.
โI think Hynes' dominant days in the halves are over, and it's time to move him into the forwards where he can make more of an impact,โ McKinnon said..
โNo. 13 is a bloody tough position to play, but Nicho has both the size and the skill to become a player similar to Isaah Yeo.โ
McKinnon also believes a reshuffle across the park could improve the Sharks' premiership prospects. He sees Cameron McInnes as a natural fit in the front row alongside Addin Fonua-Blake and suggests fullback Will Kennedy could transition to five-eighth.
โCam McInnes can play just about anywhere in the forward pack, I wouldn't worry about his minutes reducing. Play him in the front row alongside Addin Fonua-Blake,โ he said.
โI don't think Will Kennedy has the speed to be an elite fullback anymore, but he could be an impactful No.6.โ
With Daniel Atkinson set to join the Dragons next season, McKinnon floated the idea of bringing back Canberra's young fullback Chevy Stewart, a Cronulla junior, to take over the No.1 jersey.
โRaiders teenager Chevy Stewart is a Cronulla junior who isn't getting a crack in Canberra. Bring Stewart home and hand him the No.1 jerseyโhis speed is electric.โ
McKinnon acknowledged the shift would be a bold move but believes it could elevate the Sharks to genuine premiership contenders.
โIf the Sharks are brave enough to make some big decisions, then it could reap some even bigger rewards.โ
Seriously, does anyone in the NEwcastle Recruitment & Retention squad have _any_
credibility ?
So, Alex wants the Sharks to:
โ move Nicho to a spot he has not played in before ? And heโs not renowned for his defensive ability โ and locks โ especially Cam McInnes โ do much more tackling than 6 and 7 do)
โ move Will Kennedy to a spot he has not played in before.
โ move Cam McInnes (small body and age 31) to be a prop. He is not built for bending the line.
โ recruit Chevy Stewart to play 1. This is a guy who canโt get game time at Canberra. Heโs also contracted for 2025 and 2026 with a Mutual Option for 2027.
Canberra will let him go only if they thin heโs not living up to his promise. Cronulla have Ison and Dykes on the books โ both injured now โ but either or both will be available before Stewart.
I am not convinced that the Newcastle R&R team are best placed to give Cronullaโs coach any advice on radically changing the positions in which his key players operate.