‘They’re doing what the team needs’: Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes prove two halves can be equally dominant

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon has fielded questions for months about who the dominant half in his team is, but Saturday’s performance against the Rabbitohs provided the blueprint that both Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall can step up to lead when necessary. Cronulla’s first half was superb, with the playmakers setting the tone in the third minute when Trindall set up Hynes to score the first try of the afternoon. Both men produced big plays, with halfback Hynes setting up Briton Nikora and asking plenty of questions down the right, while Trindall nailed a couple of 40/20s, scored a try and then potted a late field goal. The debate has been whether Trindall is the dominant half despite having the six on his back, but Fitzgibbon is adamant that both men have clear roles that they executed to perfection. “I’m really enjoying watching them grow. It was always our plan that they’d grow together,” he said. “If a No.6 has a good game, does that mean the seven had a bad game? If the seven had a bad game, then did the six have a good game? “It’s a combination. Some weeks one will shine and the other one might be a support act, but if that happens then it means they’re playing for the team. “They’re doing what the team needs at that particular time and we want to grow that combination. Both of them played strongly, and we’re more potent if both of them play well.” The pair are far from a finished product, with an injury to Hynes and Trindall’s suspension last year stalling their progression as a combination. Reece Walsh cut a forlorn figure as the Broncos sung their victory song. “We worked a lot on it in the pre-season,” he said. “Still to this day, we haven’t played many games together, so we’re still working on our combination. It’s good to put in a performance like that and combine well with Nicho. “I don’t really hear much of that (external chat about who is in charge) so I don’t read into it. As long as we know what we’re trying to do, that’s all that matters.” Trindall’s kicking game was on fire against South Sydney and allowed Hynes to focus more on his running game. The second 40/20 was a thing of beauty after he saw Jack Wighton had shifted to fullback, with Trindall then kicking to where the veteran would have been as the Sharks piled on the points in the first half. “That was a bit of off-the-cuff stuff. I saw Jackie Wighton out of position, so I stepped up and thought I’d have a crack at that,” he said. “It’s massive for the team (when I can nail those kicks). Our forwards and outside backs are doing a lot of work, so if I can get the ball back for us by stepping up and making a play, I’m happy to do it. “It felt pretty good out there (in the first half). It felt like we were in control, but we spoke all week about finding our consistency. That second half wasn’t up to standard, so we’ll look back on that and focus on that for next week.”