‘He’s an enemy of ours’: Nicho Hynes hopes the Sharks belt Addin Fonua-Blake before they become teammates next year

Nicho Hynes says he won’t be thinking about next year when Addin Fonua-Blake joins him at the Sharks, with the Warriors prop to be an “enemy of ours” when Cronulla travels across the ditch seeking revenge for last year’s humiliating loss.

Fonua-Blake will head to the Shire in 2025 on a four-year deal to join a beefed-up Sharks pack, but that will mean nothing on Friday evening with Hynes hoping some of his bigger teammates go after the Dally M Prop of the Year.

“I don’t think I can belt him, but I hope the boys can,” Hynes said.

“It’s next year. It’s just like us not looking back at last year. It’s the exact same thing. We’re not looking ahead to next year because he’s got a Warriors jersey and we have to treat him like any other Warriors player, so he’s an enemy of ours.

“It’s just like playing against my old teammates at the Storm. I’ve got to treat them the exact same way I’d treat Addin or anyone else.

“It’s weird because we know we’re getting him next year, but it’s for two points so you’d do anything to win regardless of who’s in front of you.”

The Sharks blew a huge lead against the Warriors in round 5 and were then thrashed 44-12 later in the season, which prompted coach Craig Fitzgibbon to make some major changes to the team.

But they face a tough start after the Warriors turned Go Media Stadium into one of the most daunting venues in the NRL, with eight of their 10 games attracting crowds in excess of 20,000 as they surged into the top four.

“It’s great for the game. What they did last year and what they’re continuing to do for New Zealand rugby league is awesome,” Hynes said, wary of the raucous crowd that’ll be booing Cronulla’s every move on Friday.

“The crowds are selling out, and I think they might have sold out a trial game as well. It’s great. Is it great for us to go over there? Probably not, but it’s a part of rugby league and it’s a part of the journey.

“Regardless of how tough it is, we’re mentally prepared for it and hopefully we can go out there and play our best footy.”

Meanwhile, Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo says the trip to Wigan and back for the World Club Challenge is no excuse as his side looks to win a fourth-straight title.

The Panthers experienced freezing conditions in the UK and have returned home to stinking hot weather, with the premiers undermanned for their trip to Melbourne.

Penrith lost in round 1 last year after the bulk of their squad took on St Helens having been part of the World Cup a few months earlier.

“I feel like you can look for excuses in any pre-season, but playing the World Club Challenge and losing round 1 last year was completely unlinked,” Yeo said.

“I heard a lot last year how the World Cup (was tough) for a lot of teams, but I feel like we had the most players from the World Cup, and the way that we were able to handle that was really good.

“You can find excuses in anything, but that certainly won’t be one for us.

“We were privileged to go over there and give it a crack, but we came up short. I’d like to think that has instilled a bit of motivation into us.”