Brutal Storm axing tipped for finals

Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns fears prima inferior Nicho Hynes won't beryllium portion of the Storm's apical 17 for finals arsenic the premiership favourites get backmost to afloat spot amid an unthinkable winning streak.

Hynes, who is bound for Cronulla adjacent season, has reaped the benefits of the Storm's wounded situation this season, and whitethorn extremity up being the club's apical Dally M ballot poller.

After coming disconnected the interchange successful 3 of the archetypal 4 games of the season, the 25-year-old has since started astatine fullback connected 14 occasions owed to the concussion woes of first-choice No.1 Ryan Papenhuyzen.

He has besides spent immoderate clip astatine five-eighth owed to short-term injuries to playmakers Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes.

Regardless of wherever he's been slotted, Hynes has consistently been among the Storm's champion performers, earning him an 18th antheral jersey for NSW successful State of Origin III.

Yet determination is simply a precise existent enactment unreality hanging implicit Hynes going into the finals owed to Harry Grant's betterment from a caller hamstring injury. Grant is simply a walk-up starter successful the Storm's 17 but it remains to beryllium seen whether oregon not manager Craig Bellamy elevates him to the starting hooker role, which Brandon Smith is presently holding down.

If not, a seat containing some Grant and Hynes could perchance permission the Storm airy for large boppers against the game's premier guardant packs.

Nicho Hynes of the Storm is tackled during the circular 9 NRL lucifer betwixt the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Melbourne Storm astatine Stadium Australia connected May 06, 2021, successful Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (Getty)

"I can't spot him being successful the 17, elemental arsenic that," Johns told Wide World of Sports' Freddy and The Eighth. "It's unfortunate for Nicho.

"If you person a look, I deliberation Harry Grant volition travel disconnected the seat moving guardant successful the large games with Brandon Smith starting astatine hooker.

"Ryan Papenhuyzen's getting backmost to that form, truthful helium volition beryllium starting fullback."

For Melbourne's lucifer with Parramatta connected Saturday, Hynes has been named successful the No.17 jersey disconnected the interchange.

Hynes was connected the interchange successful that aforesaid jersey for Melbourne's triumph implicit the Panthers successful past year's expansive last but didn't marque it onto the field.

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With the concern extremity of things conscionable 2 weeks distant arsenic finals shot nears, Johns believes the Storm volition transportation 3 accepted forwards connected the seat on with Grant.

"He whitethorn compression successful connected the bench, but for mine, I deliberation they volition transportation Harry Grant connected the seat and person 3 large forwards," Johns said.

"Unless there's an injury, I can't spot him making the 17."

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