Burning desire: Can Hynes end Storm's finals dominance?

Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall bonded over burnt steak and chicken wings and the off-field connection between the Sharks halves is paying dividends as they prepare to take on the club with the most imposing finals record of the last decade.

After starting the season under heavy scrutiny over which of the pair was Cronulla’s chief playmaker, Trindall and Hynes have found a balance that has coincided with the Sharks charge to Friday night’s preliminary final against the Storm at AAMI Park.

Both began their careers in Melbourne, with Trindall playing Under 20s for the Storm in 2017 and Hynes being a member of the club’s 2020 premiership winning team – but he wasn't used in the grand final.

“When you build the connection that we have here you don’t really think too much about that,” Trindall said. “We are both full on Sharks now and that is all we are thinking about.”

After leaving the Storm to move out of Cameron Munster's shadow, Hynes is now seeking to lead the Sharks to their first grand final appearance since the club’s 2016 triumph against Melbourne.

Since then, the Storm have featured in four premiership deciders - winning two - and qualifying for eight preliminary finals in nine seasons, with Munster a key figure in their success.

Munster, who led Queensland to victory in this year's Origin series, is set to be partnered in the halves by 2024 Dally M Medallist Jahrome Hughes after he was named to return at halfback.

The star duo have played together in 15 of 25 matches this season, but just twice since Round 17 and Hughes failed to finish either game after dislocating his shoulder in Round 20 and breaking his wrist in Round 27.

In contrast, Hynes and Trindall have played all but one game together this season, with Hynes scoring eight tries and producing 21 try assists in 26 matches while Trindall has scored seven tries and produced 19 try assists in 25 appearances.

Trindall plays on the left side of the field with Hynes on the right but the pair are now also regularly combining, as they did for Hynes’ try just before halftime in last weekend’s semi-final defeat of the Raiders.

“We always knew that the combination was going to come,” Trindall said.

"Last year we didn’t play too many games together, so this is the first season that we have both actually played the majority of the year, and the combination is just going to get stronger the more games we play together.”

The key to their partnership is the off-field connection they have formed, which has led to them becoming close friends as well as team-mates.

According to Trindall, Hynes regularly invites him around for dinner and while he complains that the former NSW Origin representative often burns the meat on the barbecue, he still eats it.

“We are really good mates off the field. We are always playing Play Station together and going to get food together,” he said.

“He invites me around to his place. He is not too good of a cook, but he tries.

He thinks he is good on the BBQ with steaks and chicken wings, but he usually burns the food.

"I just keep turning up and eating it because I am a good mate.”

After qualifying for last year's preliminary final but falling short of a grand final appearance after being beaten by four-time premiers Penrith, the clash with the Storm is arguably the biggest of Hynes' NRL career.

However, with Trindall now firmly entrenched as his halves partner Hynes has another quality playmaker to share the load and the pair have developed a yin and yang relationship. 

“It is more of a feel thing," Trindall said. "Some weeks he is going to be more dominant and other weeks I am going to be more dominant.

"You just have to find that balance of when to step up and play on the ball, and when to sit back and let the other guy do his thing."