Hynes horror show won’t ruin Origin chances: Alexander

Nicho Hynes is still in the running for the second game of the State of Origin series despite a lacklustre performance in his final NRL match before team selection.

The Cronulla halfback had his most disappointing game in recent memory as the Sharks fell 54-10 to Melbourne in the biggest loss of Craig Fitzgibbon’s coaching tenure.

Poor last-play options, an early kick that led to a Storm try and a failed short-line dropout combined into a forgettable afternoon for Hynes at the worst possible time.

The Sharks captain had been considered the front-runner to replace the injured Nathan Cleary at halfback in the must-win second game of the Origin series at Suncorp Stadium on June 21.

Unlike their other contenders Adam Reynolds and Mitch Moses, Hynes spent Game I in camp with the current NSW crop and made his Origin debut from the bench as the Blues went down in Adelaide.

With Liam Martin, Cameron Murray, Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell set for fitness tests on Monday, and Parramatta facing Canterbury in the late afternoon, the Blues’ team will not be locked in until Monday evening.

Parramatta’s Moses and Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Canterbury’s Matt Burton and Tevita Pangai Jr. will use that game to make last-minute claims for Origin, while Eels prop Junior Paulo is already likely to be named.

Hynes appeared to open the door for Moses with his showing against the Storm.

Playing into Moses’ hands is the fact he played the third game of the 2021 series with a similar team to the one expected to be named on Tuesday morning.

But Blues assistant coach and selector Greg Alexander said Hynes was still firmly in the frame given his two seasons at the precipice in the NRL.

“Nicho has had a great 18 months,” Alexander said on SEN.

“I don’t know if one performance rules you out of the side.

“It’s certainly worth talking about. Many would say, ‘That’s it’ … but he’s got a fair bit of credit in the bank.”

Hynes clinched the Dally M Medal last year after leading the Sharks to second place on the ladder in his first season at the club.

He was equal-third in the Dally M stakes for this season when the voting went behind closed doors in round 12, despite missing the first three weeks of the season injured.

While contenders battle it out for vacant spots, James Tedesco, Brian To’o, Payne Haas and Isaah Yeo are among players certain to earn selection when teams are named at 11am on Tuesday.

“There’s a number of spots pencilled in. There’s some penned in,” Alexander said.