Cronulla Sharks dealt Nicho Hynes injury blow in top-four push

The Sharks have suffered a blow in their bid to crack the top four over the last two rounds of the regular season with gun halfback Nicho Hynes ruled out of Sunday's game against the Knights due to injury.

The Sharks confirmed to Wide World of Sports that Hynes would not face the Knights in Newcastle after injuring a quad at training.

However, Cronulla expects the reigning Dally M Medal winner will only be sidelined for one match.

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The Sharks are placed fifth on the ladder on 32 points, two points behind the fourth-placed Storm, and will meet the Knights and Raiders in their remaining regular-season matches.

The trip to Newcastle already loomed as a difficult task for the Sharks given the Knights' hot streak — they've won seven matches on the bounce — and the loss of Hynes has made their job even tougher.

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The Sharks are likely to shift Braydon Trindall from five-eighth to halfback, move Matt Moylan from the bench to five-eighth and promote a reserve to the pine.

Craig Fitzgibbon's men lost three matches in a row, and were even hammered 44-12 by the Warriors, but have fought back with three consecutive victories over the Rabbitohs, Titans and Cowboys.