Coach Craig Fitzgibbon has sung the praises of playmaker Nicho Hynes as Cronulla put a dagger in North Queensland’s 2023 NRL finals aspirations with a 32-12 win in Townsville.
The Sharks kept the Cowboys scoreless in the second half and consigned them to a third straight loss in what was a must-win game for Todd Payten’s side.
North Queensland entered the game ninth on the ladder and tied on points with eighth-placed South Sydney (28). They must now win their next two away games against the Dolphins and Penrith to potentially finish in the top eight.
Other results must also go the Cowboys’ way.
But for Fitzgibbon and his Cronulla side, their third win on the trot and an exemplary defensive display has come at the right time as they moved past Melbourne (32 points) into fourth on points differential.
With games to come against top eight sides Newcastle (away) and Canberra (home), the Sharks need only one win to lock-up consecutive finals appearances since Fitzgibbon became coach and maintain a charge towards back-to-back top-four finishes.
“He’s the spirit of the team,” Fitzgibbon said of Hynes’ performance.
“He drove the team, kicked well, defended amazing, got asked plenty of questions and ripped in.
“He controlled the game plan and he’s developed even more as a halve, so I was more proud of tonight’s performance from him than some other one’s he’s had.”
The reigning Dally M player of the year pulled the strings all evening and it was his kick behind the line for Wade Graham that extended the Sharks’ 18-12 halftime lead.
Hynes’ penalty 10 minutes from time dashed any semblance of a comeback before the mercurial playmaker bounced off both feet to score and put the nail in North Queensland’s coffin.
Payten rued ill-discipline and poor kicking options but said his team isn’t ready to wave the white flag on their season yet.
“We’re coming into this game knowing that we have to win two games to give ourselves a chance to play finals and there is still two games left,” he said.
“Our focus needs to be on this week and then whatever happens after that, we’ll attack that as well.”
It wasn’t all Cronulla on Thursday. A tentative start to the contest that saw no stoppages for seven minutes was broken by Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater.
Drinkwater nearly gifted the Sharks a try at his own end, but on the next set he darted off a quick pass from dummy-half Reece Robson through the ruck to post the first points.
The visitors responded when Hynes and Connor Tracey combined to put Ronaldo Mulitalo over five minutes later, before a long run across the defensive line by Chad Townsend gave Semi Valemei his ninth try in as many games.
Off the back of a seven tackle set from Tom Dearden’s miscued kick, Cronulla hummed into gear and quickly put two tries on in as many minutes.
Several offloads early in their set had the Sharks circling and Blayke Brailey shelved a pass to towering Thomas Hazelton next to the posts for their second try of the evening.
A penalty off the restart set gave Cronulla more territory and this time it was fellow interchange front-rower Royce Hunt bagging a try after breaking two tacklers and lunging for the line.
Cronulla remain undefeated at Queensland Country Bank Stadium and have now won 10 of their last 11 against the Cowboys.
Tracey was awarded the Paul Green medal in honour of the late Cronulla playmaker and Cowboys premiership-winning coach.
