Moving on: Hynes embraces PM's call-up after finals pain

Nicho Hynes is the first to admit he did it tough in the days following the Sharks’ heartbreaking finals exit, but entering camp with the Prime Minister’s XIII is the silver lining he needed on a dark cloud.

As the old saying goes ‘misery loves company’, and Hynes is in good company this week as he tries to wrap his head around the opportunity lost while also making the most of a new one in green and gold.

“It’s been tough but you walk in here and everyone is in same boat, not playing finals, they’re all as disappointed as I am in some capacity,” Hynes said.

“We get to move on to something much bigger than us right now, and that’s putting smiles on faces in PNG.

“They wait all year for this. I played Queensland Cup over there a few years ago and they loved us then so I can only imagine how they will react to all the superstars here.”

Among those stars set to light up Nationals Football Stadium in Port Moresby are World Cup winners Cameron Murray, Josh Addo-Carr, Ben Hunt and Jake Trbojevic, along with Maroons Origin heroes Reuben Cotter, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Daly Cherry-Evans.

With the PM’s XIII playing in Port Moresby for the first time since 2018, the adulation of the footy-mad folk of PNG is the perfect tonic for Hynes after the 13-12 loss to the Roosters in the elimination final.

The Sharks’ main man left nothing in the tank in a bid to get his team across the line but the big moments went the way of the Roosters as they marched on to week two.

“I wanted to make sure I put the team in a position to win the game and I wanted to be involved and I felt like I did that,” he said.

“We have the right players to do it but you need the right players on the field consistently every week playing their best footy and I don’t think we had our main 17 on the field as much as we should have this year.

“I feel like we need to stop having patches of moments during the year. It’s really about an attitude adjustment to be able to play our best footy all season and not have those little patches where we drop off.”

After riding an emotional rollercoaster earlier in the year when he played just 12 minutes off the bench on his Origin debut before being overlooked for the rest of the series, Hynes is ready to savour his first time in an Australian jersey.

“I’m going to train hard and try to get some good game time and play a good game of footy this week,” Hynes said.

“Playing for the Kangaroos is definitely a goal but I don’t think I’ll be selected this year [for the Pacific Championships]. You’ve still got Daly and Nathan [Cleary] to play in the halves and Teddy [Tedesco] and Reece Walsh and Kalyn [Ponga] at fullback so there’s still some great players to come back.

“What happened in Origin, I probably didn’t put my best foot forward there, but one day I’d love to wear the green and gold.

“I’ll be putting my best foot forward this week and showing I deserve to be in this arena.”

The NRL has issued a call-out to any ex-Kangaroos who wish to be part of the Kangaroos reunion on Saturday, September 30 at the SCG in Sydney. Any former Kangaroos players or staff who have not yet been invited to the 2023 Kangaroos Reunion are being encouraged to contact the NRL directly via (02) 9359 8500 or feedback@pan66.com.au.