Reigning Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes has openly admitted he wants to see out his playing days at the Cronulla Sharks as his management negotiates an extension on his current deal.
Hynes, who is currently contracted until the end of 2024 on a deal worth around $600k per season, is free to negotiate with rival clubs from November 1 of this year.
The 26-year-old led the Sharks to an unprecedented top four finish last year but was painfully eliminated in straight sets in the finals series.
After a career-best year and a promising start to 2023, Hynes is hopeful a deal will be struck in the foreseeable future to extend his stay in the Shire.
“I hope so, there’s been talks, everyone’s talking about it a little bit,” Hynes told SEN 1170 The Run Home.
“I just hope something happens and gets done, my manager will sort that out and the club will sort that out, so hopefully they’re talking as we speak because I’d love to stay… then hopefully I’m here forever.
“Ideally I’d love to be here for the rest of my career then I’d like to go straight into coaching… Give me a 20-year contract Sharks!”
Hynes opened up on his ambitions to become a head coach and what has motivated him to focus on his post-career opportunities just four years into his NRL career.
“Yea I do (have ambitions to be a coach), big time, I’ve always said I wanted to be a coach, I just love it,” Hynes added.
“I love helping people out, I love helping young kids realise their dreams, so hopefully one day I can be a coach to hand a debut jersey, that’s the ultimate (dream) for me, I’d love to do that.
“I’ve always told Fitzy (Craig Fitzgibbon) that and every time he makes a stressful call he looks at me and say, ‘Do you still want to be a coach?’.
“But obviously you have to start somewhere and I could be a development coach, then into an assistant, then one day work my trade and become a head coach, that would be nice.
“I know I have to start somewhere and if I could an assistant at NRL level our a development coach, I’d be happy to do that but coaching is for me.”
Hynes is named to start at halfback for the Sharks when they host the in-form New Zealand Warriors on Sunday afternoon.