Matters of state: What do the Blues do with Nicho Hynes?

After being judged the NRL’s best player last year, Nicho Hynes has fired for the Sharks across his six games this season and heads into the State of Origin period as one of the form halves in the competition.

• Matters of state: Who makes the NSW backline?

Despite that, the 26-year-old’s presence in the Blues’ 17 for Game I of the Ampol State of Origin Series is far from assured. So what is coach Brad Fittler to do with the elephant in the selection room?

Pick him at five-eighth

If it's a race between the incumbent, Jarome Luai, and Hynes for the No.6 jersey then the stats suggest the latter is the clear frontrunner. 

Despite playing three fewer games, Hynes has four more try assists this year than the Penrith playmaker and five extra line break assists, and he's led Cronulla to wins in five of the seven games he's played so far. 

What he doesn't have is a close bond with the assumed NSW halfback Nathan Cleary, something Luai has developed over numerous seasons playing with him at club level and in the Origin arena. 

Luai also boasts history with likely squad members Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Brian To'o, and contenders Api Koroisau and Stephen Crichton. 

Pick him on the interchange 

If he can’t find a place in the starting 13, Hynes presents as an ideal utility player to serve as injury cover or come on to provide some impact. 

He has a proven track record at NRL level of performing competently across a number of positions, having started his career as a fullback and been part of two Preliminary Final runs with the Storm as a bench utility. 

Similar to the roving middle role Kalyn Ponga has played previously for Queensland off the bench, Hynes could cause serious issues for a tiring defence with his footwork, speed and vision. 

Leave him out 

If Fittler does value club combinations in key positions, then it doesn't bode well for Hynes, with no other Sharks expected to be part of the Blues' squad for Game I.

There is also a good chance a bigger body will be preferred as the utility – as was the case last year when Siosifa Talakai and Ryan Matterson were selected in that role on the interchange – which would spell an end to Hynes' hopes of snaring a bench spot. 

Few could argue he'd be extremely unlucky, but it might just be that there isn't room for Hynes in this year's series.