Nicho Hynes wins inaugural Paul Green medal after imperious performance against North Queensland

Nicho Hynes’s incredible performance against the Cowboys has been recognised, with the Sharks gun winning the very first Paul Green medal.

The prize – named after the late footy legend fondly remembered as a great of both North Queensland and Cronulla – was handed to the Dally M winner after he led his side to a 44-6 win on Thursday night.

Green’s widow, Amanda, was in attendance for the match and saw her kids lead the teams out before kick off, and later handed the medal to Hynes after the final whistle. 

Hynes missed only one of his seven conversions and added a try to the scoreboard in a one-sided affair at PointsBet Stadium.

But Green was not far from the thoughts of everybody at the ground on Thursday night, with fans and players observing a minute of applause for the decorated former player and coach. 

Green was found dead at his home in Brisbane on August 11 last year after taking his own life, and had been suffering from an advanced form of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

CTE is a neurodegenerative disease that can affect athletes who endure repeated concussions and head knocks during their careers in contact sports such as rugby league, combat sports and American football. 

The 49-year-old delivered North Queensland‘s only premiership back in 2015 and is fondly remembered as a footy legend by the NRL world. 

Green quit as the Cowboys’ coach in 2020 but was still highly rated in the league and was due to be an assistant to Wayne Bennett with the Dolphins this year.

As a player, he starred at halfback for the Sharks from 1994 to 1998, guiding them to the 1997 Super League grand final.

Green went on to play for the Cowboys, Roosters and Eels in a first-grade career that spanned 10 years and ended in 2004, racking up 162 games with 37 tries to his name.

More to follow.