Nicho Hynes insists he is playing better than last season after he pushed his NSW State of Origin case with a starring role in Cronulla's 33-20 win over Canterbury.
Involved in a shootout with Penrith five-eighth Jarome Luai for the NSW No.6 jersey, Hynes had a hand in three Sharks tries on Saturday night as they took full control at Accor Stadium.
Fullback Will Kennedy scored a hat-trick for Cronulla within the first 23 minutes, while Matt Moylan also had one of his best games of the year at five-eighth.
But it was Hynes who had the biggest impact, as the Sharks entered the top four for the first time this year.
Four games into his comeback from a calf injury, the Sharks halfback has helped Cronulla's attack click into gear with wins in three of those matches.
Hynes was 18th man for NSW in two games in last year's series, but believes he is playing better football now than when he was on the way to his Dally M Medal win last season.
"I think I am a better player than I was 12 months ago," Hynes said.
"I keep continuing to learn and keep working hard. The coaching staff put really hard work into me, and I put hard work in on the training paddock.
"There is always something to work on, no matter what happened in the previous year or previous game. And I have something to work on again this week.
"If I wasn't a better player than I was a year ago, then I shouldn't be playing footy.
"I have a good contract now, I have earned that, so I have to keep showing the faith they have showed in me."
Against an injury-ravaged Canterbury side, Hynes exposed the Bulldogs' inexperienced edges.
He combined with Briton Nikora for the Sharks' first try, putting the in-form second-rower through a gap and Kennedy loomed up on the inside to finish the job.
After Kennedy claimed his hat-trick from a Moylan bomb and dummy-and-go down the left edge, Hynes took charge of the game early in the second half.
Up 18-14 at halftime, Hynes helped Cronulla ram home their advantage in the first set after the break when he put up a cross-field kick and Ronaldo Mulitalo batted it back for Moylan to score.
Hynes and Moylan were involved again in the Sharks' next try, when the halves duo created the space for Sione Katoa to go over untouched on the right wing.
Proving almost everything he touches turns to gold this year, Hynes also sent over a late field goal after it bounced in off the posts.
"I know he can handle Origin," coach Craig Fitzgibbon said.
"He is fearless in the way he plays, in big moments. Big occasions don't scare him. And that's Origin."
The defeat leaves Canterbury rooted to the bottom-end of the ladder, with three straight losses.
Matt Burton's switch to halfback did, however, showed some promise, with Burton setting up a late try for Corey Waddell and moving around the field more.
"We tried hard but we killed ourselves at times against a team who is very good," coach Cameron Ciraldo said.
"The start to both halves was poor. Got out-competed a number of times and got made to pay for it."
