Nicho shines as Sharks overrun Raiders in NRL trial

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Nicho shines as Sharks overrun Raiders in NRL trial

Cronulla talisman Nicho Hynes has put the competition on notice with a stand-out performance against Canberra in the NRL’s pre-season challenge.

In 50 minutes at GIO Stadium on Thursday night, the gifted halfback scored one try, assisted two and was unlucky not to have set up another as the Sharks came from behind to run over the top of a young Raiders side 40-10.

Canberra started at full strength, except for captain Joe Tapine and fellow forward Corey Horsburgh, but despite early signs of promise, capitulated meekly once the starting squad was rotated through towards the end of the opening *******.

The Sharks’ back-up brigade showed more promise.

Towering prop Tuku Hau Tapuha and centre Chris Vea’ila scored tries, while new recruit Addin Fonua-Blake showed signs of things to come, barging his way through the Raiders’ defence to score his first four-pointer since his off-season switch from the Warriors.

The moment of the match, however, came from Canberra fullback Kaeo Weekes, who produced a piece of individual brilliance to open the scoring.

The young speedster, who has a mortgage on the Raiders’ No.1 jersey following the departure of Jordan Rapana, blitzed past a half-cooked Sharks chasing pack on his 10m line before running 60 metres and handing the ball to Ethan Strange to run it in under the crossbar.

Sebastian Kris then put the home side 10-0 up, running onto a loose ball batted back from recruit Savelio Tamale, on the end of a Jamal Fogarty bomb.

But then it was Hynes, as it so often is, who inspired Cronulla back to their best.

He got the Sharks on the board after Ronaldo Mulitalo knocked down a Braydon Trindall bomb before setting up Samuel Stonestreet on the wing with a pin-point cut-out pass to set up a two-point lead at halftime.

Stonestreet dropped a carbon copy play cold soon after the interval when he had a clear path to the tryline, but it mattered little.

The Sharks scored another 28 points unanswered, with additional tries to Trindall, Hau Tapuha, Vea’ila, Fonua-Blake and Jesse Ramien, as Hynes iced his quad on the sidelines after being give a half-hour early mark.

Both coaches will be glad to have seen out the pre-season without any major injuries, but Ricky Stuart would’ve had his heart in his mouth as his son Jed’s bloodied face was patched up after a ****** head-knock late in the second half.

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