'He could be the greatest': Hynes tipped to have long lasting impact on Sharks

Returning Sharks captain Wade Graham believes the signing of Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes until the end of the decade will help the club attract other star players.

Graham, who will make just his second NRL appearance of the season against Sydney Roosters on Friday night after serving a four-match suspension, is undecided about his own long-term future but he is confident about Cronulla’s.

“With Craig Fitzgibbon signing long term and now Nicho signing long term, it has certainly provided the club with a lot of stability,” Graham said.

“If I was a young player coming through, it does make it a desirable place to come and play when you know you have got a really good coach, a really good playmaker and some other pieces around them.”

Fitzgibbon recently extended his tenure as Cronulla coach until the end of the 2027 season and Hynes last week signed the biggest deal in the club’s history, agreeing to steer the Sharks around for the next seven years.

The 26-year old joined Cronulla last season from Melbourne - where he started just three of his 36 NRL matches in the halves – and made such an impact that Graham predicts he could become the club’s greatest player.

“It’s up to Nicho, really,” Graham said. “He has certainly had a great impact for the start of his career here. It doesn’t get much better than winning the Dally M Player of the Year.

“At the end of seven years, with Nicho’s trajectory, he could be anything at the club. He could go down as one of the greatest, but it is up to him. He is hungry, he wants success, and you can see that with his performances.

“He came into first grade the hard way and he is a bit of a late bloomer who had to struggle to get to the top, so he has certainly learned some lessons and he has that humility about him.

“Everyone who listens to him speak or has anything to do with him can sense that humility and how genuine he is. He is a good guy so everyone supports him

"He has made a big impact here already and I hope he goes down as one of the greatest.

“I certainly love the club, I’ve given it better than half of my life so I look forward to seeing what he can do in that blue and white jersey.”

At 32 years-of-age, Graham doesn’t yet know whether he will be watching the progression of Hynes’ career progress up close or from a distance, with the NSW and Australian representative weighing up his options.

With wife Karianne being from Quebec, Graham has learned to speak French and he has previously been linked with a move to Catalans in the Super League, while moving to Canada is also a possibility.

“I don’t know what I am going to do, I might play another year or I might not play again,” Graham said.

It’s not just footy but what other opportunities there are for me and my family.

“Obviously there is the draw to go back to Canada, where my missus is from, I’ve picked up some work in the media, so there could be a opportunity there, or do I still feel healthy enough to play footy, or is there an opportunity to play overseas.

“I’m probably going to have to let a little bit of water go under the bridge to see, firstly, how I’m feeling, how the family is feeling, talk to the club, lean on some people I trust and see what opportunities there really are.”

Despite spending four weeks on the sideline due to his ban for a grade one reckless high shot on South Sydney prop Davvy Moale, Graham said he doesn't need to change his tackling technique.

"I need to be better with my decision making and where I make contact. I got him [Moale] high, but it wasn't by that much," Graham said.

"If you look back through my career I have always played on that edge of aggression with my defence but when I play the way I play, I need to be conscious of the decisions I make when I am out there. I can't be making any slip ups.

"It's not just me, I think the only silver lining is that I certainly wasn't lonely in the suspension club over the opening month-and-a-half of footy. The levels of the gradings and how hard they are coming at guys is there for everyone to see.

"All players know that you have to be dialled in and your technique is sound. You can't be making mistakes out there because when you are it is proving costly.

"All players are on notice. I certainly learned my lesson. I am not keen to make that mistake again."