Teammates have declared Nicho Hynes "easily" the NRL's best player as Cronulla plot to ride on the halfback's coat tails all the way to premiership glory.
Hynes' scintillating return from a calf injury that sidelined the 2022 Dally M Medallist for the first three rounds sparked the Sharks to a 40-8 derby mauling of St George Illawarra on Sunday night.
After confessing to making a slow start to the season, five-eighth Matt Moylan is chuffed to have his halves partner back and credits Hynes for dragging him into form.
"He didn't miss a beat and really improved the side," Moylan said on Wednesday.
"The way he plays suits the way I play as well and he brings me along with him so it was good to get back."
Moylan admitted, on one hand, the supreme level Hynes reached in his comeback game was a little surprising.
On the other hand, it was no surprise at all.
"The one good attribute about Nicho is he's always striving to get better and working hard," Moylan said.
"He doesn't rest on his laurels so there's definitely room to grow as a player."
Hynes' professionalism was on full display on Wednesday with the classy No.7 practising his goalkicking well before Cronulla training, then caught carting three big dumb bells around Shark Park like a draught horse - presumably to strengthen his calf.
"He's obviously put a lot of work into his body to get back and to be ready to play," Moylan said.
"It could have been a longer injury but he put the work in to get back out there and it showed on the weekend."
Winger Ronaldo Mulitalo, who bagged a double in Sunday's seven-try rout, was gushing in his praise of Hynes.
"Nicho's had an outstanding pre-season and he's coming into real form now. He's the form player of the competition at the moment and in our eyes he's definitely the best player," Mulitalo said.
Asked if he truly believed Hynes was the competition's premier player, the winger, without hesitation, said: "Easily".
"I feel if he goes into any side, he'll make a big impact. He's just got that charisma and confidence about him at the moment.
"We've just got to get on the back of his confidence and we're just going to let him lead us and follow him and everything will fall into place."
Centre Jesse Ramien said the Sharks were making no secret of their hunger to follow up last year's breakout season, when they finished second on the ladder, with a title in 2023.
He said while Hynes is obviously pivotal to the Sharks' chances, so too is the form of his deputy Braydon Trindall, who is applying pressure to Moylan for a permanent starting spot.
"To have the calibre of player of Tricky right there pushing at both Nicho's and Moysa's heels is unreal," Ramien said.
"It's only good for healthy competition and helps the boys play better."
