EXCLUSIVE: Sharks superstar Nicho Hynes 'not bothered' by Laurie Daley's Blues meet-and-greet snub
Nicho Hynes has said he's "not bothered" that he wasn't one of 28 players invited to a NSW Blues meet-and-greet and declared he's solely focused on ensuring the Sharks are a title threat this year, rather than wrestling back a sky-blue jumper.
Hynes also said NSW coach Laurie Daley had not phoned him regarding his decision to leave him out of the meet-and-greet, in which the likes of Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai, Mitchell Moses, Tom Trbojevic and Liam Martin spent Saturday afternoon discussing the 2025 series in Brighton-Le-Sands.
"Nah, I haven't spoken to him [Daley], and I'm not bothered," Hynes told Wide World of Sports on Wednesday.
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When asked if he had ambitions to win back a Blues jersey, the playmaker veered away from Origin talk.
"I just want to let my footy do the talking this year," Hynes said.
"I'm in a happy place. I just want to make sure the Sharks are in a position to be winning a premiership, and that's all I really care about ... I just want to go out there and play footy and be a happy man.
"If things happen off the back of that, then they do. If not, then so be it ... It's out of my control. They didn't want me there; I'm not there. If they wanted me there, I'd be there. I'm a realist, and this is how it is."
Hynes then said of Daley: "If he wanted to pick up a phone and have a chat to me about it [not being invited to the meet-and-greet], then he could have".
Nicho Hynes cuts a dejected figure during game one of the 2024 State of Origin series. Getty
Daley hosed down speculation that players not invited to the meet-and-greet had slim chances of playing for the Blues this year.
"Nothing is locked in now, it's too early, we could easily pick a player that isn't in this 28 because in reality we could pick 50 players to come in," Daley said, per News Corp.
"Last year there were a number of players that weren't in the original squad that ended up playing in the series. I can give you three examples in Mitch Barnett, Connor Watson [and] Angus Crichton, that didn't make the initial squad but ended up making the team.
"If you're playing well, you'll be considered."
Wide World of Sports contacted the NSWRL for comment.
Hynes' Origin career began on a dire note in game one of the 2023 series, in which then coach Brad Fittler gave him 12 minutes at right centre off the bench. Hynes missed a crucial tackle on Cameron Munster that led to a Queensland try in an incredible Maroons comeback win.
In the only other Origin match Hynes has played, he donned the No.7 jumper in the opening game of the 2024 series as the Blues suffered a 38-10 defeat. His kicking game and organisation of the troops in the heavy loss led to a fresh deluge of criticism.
Hynes won the Dally M Medal in 2022, his first season at the Sharks, and last year led Cronulla to the preliminary finals.
But the former Storm utility, who will turn 29 in June, is yet to showcase his phenomenal NRL form on the Origin stage.
Laurie Daley speaks to media after being announced as the NSW Blues' new coach in December. Getty
The incumbent NSW halves are Luai and Moses, who last year steered the Blues to a series victory in a decider in enemy territory, although Cleary will likely reclaim his No.7 jumper for this year's series if he is fit.
Hynes found a silver lining in being overlooked for the NSW meet-and-greet.
"I got to train for the Sharks [on Saturday]," he said.
"We had a good training session [at Shark Park].
"Nothing can stop me from being how happy I am and how much I'm looking forward to playing for the Sharks."
Hynes wasn't named in the Sharks' line-up for Friday night's pre-season clash with the Warriors, to be played at Shark Park, but he told Wide World of Sports that wasn't due to injury, rather because coach Craig Fitzgibbon wanted to give Cronulla's younger playmakers some game time.
Daniel Atkinson and Niwhai Puru will play at five-eighth and halfback respectively.
