Former NSW coach Craig Bellamy says he would select Nicho Hynes in the vacant Blues No.7 jersey "every day of the week" for the second State of Origin match in Brisbane.
Hynes endured a tough night in Sunday's 54-10 loss to Melbourne at AAMI Park, committing a number of costly errors in a dire performance by the Sharks.
It couldn't have come at a worse time for Hynes, as he battles to win the race for the No.7 jersey made vacant by Nathan Cleary's hamstring injury, with Broncos veteran Adam Reynolds and Parramatta half Mitchell Moses the other leading contenders.
But Bellamy leapt to the defence of his former Storm utility and urged the Blues to back Hynes at halfback.
"His team got beat by a pretty big score today and that wasn't all Nicho," Bellamy said.
I don't understand – he won the Dally M last year, he was on the bench for NSW last game and only came on for five or six minutes.
Craig Bellamy
"With Nathan out I'd be picking him every day of the week.
"I think he's done enough over the last 18 months to prove that he's an Origin player and the next halfback for New South Wales."
Storm v Sharks - Round 15, 2023
After going down 26-18 in the series opener, the Blues will head into the must-win second game at Suncorp Stadium without their first-choice halfback and hooker, following Api Koroisau suffering a broken jaw in Round 15.
Key forward Liam Martin is also in serious doubt after suffering a head knock while playing for the Panthers against the Roosters on Saturday night.
Storm skipper Christian Welch – who was seen consoling Hynes after the first Origin game in Adelaide – was also quick to back his former teammate after the match.
"I'd echo that (Bellamy)," Welch said.
"You look at Cronulla's rise, particularly last year, he's a great person and a great game manager.
"I think he's like for like for Cleary and a big reason why Cronulla have done so well.
"I really hope he gets picked. You can't judge him on that last game when he came on and played in the centres.
"Full preparation where he gets to own the team, I hope he picks him."
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