Nicho Hynes handed one-game ban, will miss Cronulla elimination final against Roosters
Match Review Committee charges Sharks halfback with grade-two dangerous contact after hip-drop tackle on Marcelo Montoya; Bulldogs winger to have ankle scans
Cronulla halfback Nicho Hynes will miss the Sharks' elimination final against the Sydney Roosters after receiving a one-game ban from the NRL match review committee.
Hynes was placed on report for a hip drop–style tackle on Canterbury-Bankstown winger Marcelo Montoya during Cronulla's 24-6 victory at Accor Stadium on Saturday. Montoya's ankle was left trapped under Hynes' knee and the Bulldogs winger was unable to finish the match, requiring assistance to leave the field.
The match review committee graded the incident as a grade-two dangerous contact charge, a sanction that has resulted in the automatic one-game suspension that will rule Hynes out of Cronulla's must-win home final at Shark Park next week. If the Sharks are eliminated by the Roosters, the ban would end Hynes' season. If Cronulla advances but Hynes unsuccessfully challenges the charge at the NRL judiciary, the suspension could extend to cover any subsequent finals game or the opening round of the 2026 season.
Montoya is scheduled to undergo scans on the right ankle to determine the severity of the injury. The Bulldogs' winger is considered unlikely to be fit for Canterbury's qualifying final against Melbourne, according to club sources.
Hynes, the 2022 Dally M Medallist and Cronulla's chief playmaker this season, has been central to the Sharks' push into the finals. His enforced absence represents a significant loss for coach Craig Fitzgibbon as Cronulla prepare to host a Roosters side that has been in strong form.
The incident occurred late in the match at Accor Stadium when Hynes attempted contact while Montoya chased a play. Television replays showed Montoya's ankle became caught beneath Hynes' knee as both players went to ground, prompting the on-field officials to place Hynes on report. The match review committee subsequently cited the tackle as dangerous contact of sufficient force and nature to warrant the charge.
Cronulla have the option of accepting the grading and penalty or contesting the charge at the NRL judiciary. If Hynes opts to contest and loses, the judiciary could uphold the grade and the suspension would stand or be increased. Acceptance of the penalty would begin the one-game suspension immediately, with Hynes missing the elimination final.
The Sharks' elimination final against the Roosters is scheduled for next week at Shark Park, where Cronulla will face a Roosters outfit that has been described by commentators as red-hot heading into the finals. The match-up was already pivotal for Cronulla's finals ambitions; Hynes' absence guarantees a forced reshuffle of Cronulla's spine for the do-or-die fixture.
The NRL judiciary hearing is expected to take place on Tuesday night. Both clubs will await the outcome and Montoya's scan results ahead of finalising line-ups and medical reports for next week's finals fixtures.