‘Doesn’t get much credit’: Fitzy calls for Hynes respect amid praise for Sharks enforcer

Craig Fitzgibbon called for Nicho Hynes to get some credit after he led the Sharks to a preliminary final for the second straight year and heaped praise on Addin Fonu-Blake.

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The Sharks beat the Raiders 32-12 on the back of starring displays from Hynes, who finished with a linebreak, three linebreak assists, a try assist, a try and six goals in a 16-point haul, while Fonua-Blake played big minutes to finish with 144 metres, three tackle busts and 31 tackles.

“He’s got to get credit foot that because he doesn’t get much,” Fitzgibbon said.

“He’s had a strong season, but in one week it’s Tricky and the other week it’s Nicho, but it’s just pleasing to see both of them play well together. That’s the most important thing for us. “They’re actually not worried about it the pair of them, they’re just like whatever the team needs is whatever the team needs.

“Some weeks Nicho will shine in and Tricky won’t and Tricky will shine in some weeks, so it’s good to see them play together.”

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Fitzgibbon was most pleased with both his halves having commanding performances in the same game.

“I think Nicho probably kicked more last week, but they’re the balance of which way we go, where they go, they’re so in control together, which has been pleasing,” Fitzgibbon said.

“But Tricky’s come off the back of the ankle injury and then we had such a performance without him, with Atkinson there against the Bulldogs.

“For Tricky (Trindall) to walk back in and deliver for a couple of weeks in a row is like pretty impressive. He’s such a good kid. He’s in a good spot. But the most important thing is the way that pair play together.”

Fitzgibbon was pressed on whether he saw his halves getting it together at the right end of the season, but warned there are bigger battles ahead.

“I was hoping so, we’re getting pretty deep into a combo there, but let’s be straight, we’ve been under pressure like for a while and I felt like those boys were the two that were always going to get together and get it going,” Fitzgibbon said.

“And at the moment they are, but we’re not done yet. Like we haven’t essentially achieved anything yet.”

Fonua-Blake was heralded as the missing piece for the Sharks this season and he proved it with a big performance for Cronulla, who lost Thomas Hazelton to a head knock early.

“Throughout the course of the year, he’s had calf strains, a groin, he’s had some other things going on and he hasn’t missed a game and he’s all in,” Fonua-Blake said.

“I felt like what I saw last week from him when Toby scored the try at the end of the game, the way Adam celebrated, he just given himself to whatever, whatever the team needs, whatever the club needs.

“He’s an impressive man, not only as a footy player, he’s an impressive man and he’s done it the hard way, he’s learned some valuable lessons over the course of his life, but he’s stepping up right now and I thought tonight, when we lost Tommy there we just went, Addin we are going to have to sauce ya, and he went, sweet mate, whatever you need, and I said, well how long can you go and he said, as long as you want. That’s nice to know.”

Fitzgibbon revealed he was nervous after Ethan Strange was ruled out that the Raiders would step up in his absence and they did.

“I think the preparation before was obviously key, but when they lost to Ethan Strange, we were like, oh no, it’s like that boy’s one of the best players in our competition at the moment,” Fitzgibbon said.

“He’s like an out and out star, but you lose a player like that, what happens to the rest of the team? They all elevate. And I was like, oh no, I’m not sure we needed that.

“But everyone else needed to elevate as well off the back of last week and then I loved about it, nothing went away for so long, so it was almost like the self-fulfilling prophecy there.

“And then there’s the perfect storm of, oh no, he’s not playing. Everyone’s going to elevate. And they did that. And then jammed us in there and did what they did and then just to hang in there and get out of it was really pleasing.”

The Raiders started stronger and led 6-0 deep into the first half and Fitzgibbon was proud of his players for weathering the storm.

“To be honest, I was just sort of watching the reaction of the players when things go against them,” Fitzgibbon said.

“I just haven’t seen a worry or a flinch at the moment. It’s always a risk. I thought we were under pressure the whole game, to be honest, which was expected.

“It’s like a hostile environment. They’re a quality side. They deserve some credit for their season and everyone wrote them off at the start of the year.

“They play the whole year. They’re the best team all year and minor premiers and we’re pretty pleased with the result, but we’re not done yet either.”

Fitzgibbon wrestled with the decision to replace Oregon Kaufusi with Hazelton, but revealed the former will be back to replace the latter next week.

“Obviously it’s a category one concussion so Tommy’s no good, but to be fair to Tommy, I was worried all week, I felt like I probably should have played Oregon to be perfectly honest based on Tommy’s prep, but Tommy played so strong,” Fitzgibbon said.

“Oregon’s been in our team the whole year and it was a really tough call, but Oregon’s preparation got disrupted by a calf injury and I felt like he hadn’t had the workload in.

“You can’t muck around at this time of year. You’ve got to have battle-hardened soldiers ready to go, but Oregon confuses in our team every day of the week when he’s fit and healthy and his preparation had been hampered, but he won’t be next week.”