LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Calls are growing for a positional switch involving Nicho Hynes on the Cronulla Sharks team, with concerns emerging about fullback Will Kennedy's defensive performance during the team's round one loss to Penrith.
While the Sharks put up a strong fight against the Panthers, some observers believe that moving Hynes out of the halves could benefit the team.
NRL veterans Bryan Fletcher and Scott Sattler have suggested this change, noting that Hynes did not receive as much of the ball or show the same level of intent as he did in the previous season.
However, journalist Paul Crawley highlighted Kennedy's defensive lapses as a major issue for the Sharks.
Crawley pointed out two key moments in the match where Kennedy failed to defend effectively, leading to Penrith tries.
In one instance, Kennedy did not show enough urgency to stop Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo from scoring, exposing weak defense from his teammates.
In another play, Kennedy was unable to anticipate a switch in play by Penrith's Nathan Cleary, allowing Izack Tago to score uncontested.
Crawley compared Kennedy's defensive efforts to top fullbacks like Dylan Edwards and Clint Gutherson, suggesting that Kennedy's lack of anticipation and effort were troubling.
He argued that a more defensively sound fullback would have been able to prevent the Penrith tries in those situations.
Overall, the footage has sparked discussions about potential changes within the Sharks lineup to improve their defensive capabilities and overall performance.