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Important SN update for SouthlandSharks say no chance Hynes will revert to fullback
Scott Bailey and Melissa Woods, AAP • June 30th, 2025 12:30 pm
The Sharks will resist moving Nicho Hynes from the halves to No.1 to halt a worrying form slump | Photo: Jono Searle/AAP
Craig Fitzgibbon has ruled out any prospect of Nicho Hynes moving to fullback, adamant positional changes are not the solution to stopping Cronulla's NRL freefall.
Sunday's 30-6 loss to Melbourne marked the Sharks' fourth defeat in five games, going from level pegging with the top four a month ago down to 10th.
In a period where they have lost no players to State of Origin, Cronulla have been heavily beaten by an undermanned Sydney Roosters and lost two others games at home.
Questions have also emerged over the make up of their spine, after Daniel Atkinson and Braydon Trindall won four of six games together in the halves last year.
That has prompted suggestions Hynes could move to fullback to replace the off-contract Will Kennedy, allowing him, Atkinson and Trindall to all start in the spine.
Kennedy, who began the season hot to at one stage lead the Dally M count, was twice beaten in kick contests by Storm second-rower Eliesa Katoa in the lead up to tries on Sunday.
Hynes played fullback in his final season at Melbourne in 2021, when Ryan Papenhuyzen was out injured.
Hynes then won the Dally M Medal on his move to Cronulla's No.7 jersey the following year, before claiming his first finals win at the Sharks in taking them to a grand-final qualifier last year.
Any move back would likely be a serious physical challenge, given the different skill sets, athletic requirements and fitness asked of halves compared to No.1s.
Regardless, Fitzgibbon quickly shut down any suggestion of that happening when Cronulla face the red-hot Dolphins after this week's desperately-needed bye.
"No, he's not playing fullback," Fitzgibbon said.
"That is four or five years ago now. We have to get the best out of our best players and work hard at that.
"The execution of some things definitely was off ... but you can't get everything in a week.
"From where we were at, we had to improve the stuff we value most and we did that."
Nicho Hynes runs the ball during Cronulla's defeat at AAMI Park | Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP
Fitzgibbon was adamant the Sharks' loss to Melbourne was a vast improvement on their 34-28 defeat Brisbane a week earlier, where they gave up a 28-12 lead.
"The scoreboard got away in the end ... but it was far better than what we dished up last week," Fitzgibbon said.
"We conceded tries from execution or attention to detail things, not from not turning up.
"The scoreline still hurts but it's a big difference."
