LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Nicho Hynes heads back to where his journey in rugby league began, but not in the way many might expect.
To understand his return, we need to look back four years before his NRL debut with Melbourne and seven years before his record-breaking Dally M season, where he secured the highest number of votes in history, thrusting him into the spotlight of rugby league discussions.
The timeline stretches back a full decade, coinciding with Friday's preliminary final between Cronulla and the Storm. At that time, Hynes was with Manly, coming off the bench for their Under 20s team. Reflecting on that young player now, he appears almost unrecognizable.
His once flowing hair is now cropped short, reminiscent of a strict school headmaster's order on the first day back from break.
In many team sheets from that season, he was listed as "Nick" or "Nicholas," primarily contributing from the bench. While he showcased flashes of talent, few could have predicted what lay ahead for him.
The Sea Eagles were set to face North Queensland in the preliminary final. The match was held in Melbourne, likely coordinated with the first-grade Cowboys' game against the Storm later that evening, or perhaps it was destiny ensuring Hynes's return to this significant venue.
On the field that night were two other future Dally M winners: Tom Trbojevic for Manly and Kalyn Ponga for North Queensland.
These two were the standout stars of the event. Trbojevic's remarkable achievements throughout the year reached mythic proportions-one memorable game saw him cover 486 meters with the ball. Meanwhile, Ponga's debut a few months earlier had offered the first glimpse of one of the sport's dynamic prodigies.