Cronulla superstar Nicho Hynes says playing in the All Stars match “changed my life” and has urged NRL officials to retain it at some point in the schedule every season.
The future of the All Stars fixture has been clouded by the NRL’s commitment to continue sending four teams a year to Las Vegas for a season-opening double header, which has impacted on the availability of a host of high-profile Indigenous and Maori players.
Hynes has been ruled out of the All Stars match, to be played at CommBank Stadium on February 15, because the logistics of travelling to Vegas for the March 2 clash with four-time champions Penrith has truncated their pre-season.
That underlines the double-jeopardy dilemma the NRL is now facing: every year the season kicks off in Vegas, the All Stars game is likely to be deprived of major drawcards.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo admitted this week the date for the All Stars clash has become “difficult”, but insisted: “The All Stars will always be part of the calendar as far as I’m concerned. It is such an important match and week for the game.”
Not all would agree with Abdo’s opinion, but Hynes, who has played in the past three All Stars games, endorsed the CEO’s commitment.
Nicho Hynes has played in the All Stars match three times.Credit: Cronulla Sharks
“Definitely don’t get rid of it,” Hynes said. “It fills up the cup every year of us Indigenous players, and the Maori as well.
“It’s super important for connection to culture; super important for the Maori people of New Zealand and the First Nations people of Australia.
“There’s no way in the world they should get rid of it. It does so many good things for so many people.”
Hynes said his initial selection in the All Stars, in 2022, provided his first real chance to explore and embrace his Indigenous heritage.
“I didn’t really know a lot about it, or grow up with the culture, purely because of the fact I had nobody around to learn off,” he said.
“So, going into that All Stars camp, it changed my life for the better.
“I’ve become such a proud Indigenous man, and I’m so comfortable in my own skin now. I’ll always want to go into these All Stars camps and keep evolving into a better person.
Nicho Hynes says the All Stars clash was crucial in understanding his Indigenous heritage.Credit: Getty Images
“So, no, I don’t think they need to get rid of it. They just need to maybe find a better place for it, and I don’t have that answer.”
Asked for his thoughts on when the All Stars could alternatively be scheduled, Hynes replied: “Personally I like it at the beginning of the year, because you fill your cup up, you connect with your people and you’re ready for a big year.
“So I like it then, but I suppose a lot of the coaches and clubs probably don’t, because they lose their players for a period.
“I don’t know. Maybe you could play it at the end of the year as part of the Pac Champs [Pacific Championships]? Maybe you could have an Australian team and an Indigenous team, possibly?
“I don’t know. They’re going to have to find somewhere to put it, because there’s no way in the world they should get rid of it.”
Hynes’ playmaking partner at Cronulla, Braydon Trindall, who has also played three times for the Indigenous All Stars, said he was disappointed that he would have to miss this year’s edition.
“I want to play, but coming back from a shoulder reconstruction, I just have to do the right thing by myself and the Sharks,” he said.
“But if it was on a better weekend, it would have been awesome to play again.
“I love playing in that game. It would be awesome if they could find a spot that allows everyone to play in it again.”
