Nicho Hynes has revealed he has been on a self-imposed booze ban for the majority of the NRL season in a bid to help Cronulla fulfil their potential of winning the premiership.
Hynes walked into Sharks training on Monday feeling somewhat freer, after getting the monkey of his back and winning his first finals match as a half against North Queensland.
Already off social media to avoid the intense scrutiny on him, Hynes said he was also benefiting from an early-season call to avoid alcohol and allow his body and mind to focus on football.
"In the new year I just said I want to do whatever it takes to win us a grand final," Hynes said.
"And if that is cutting down on the alcohol, then that's it. I have never been a massive drinker anyway.
"I like to have a good time, but there is a time and place. And I felt this year hasn't really been the time and place to do it."
Hynes said he last had a drink after the Sharks' round-seven win over the Cowboys, on the same night his halves partner Braydon Trindall went positive to roadside drug and alcohol tests.
Trindall himself is back drinking in moderation after staying away from alcohol for some time, but Hynes said he would not drink again until the season was over.
"I had a couple of niggles here or there, and then my calf going into Origin. And then after, I just wanted to stay away from it," Hynes said.
"I just wanted to focus on getting myself fit and ready to go.
"Then my ankle (fracture) happened. So I just thought I would wait until the end of the season when I deserve a beer after a successful run, that's when I'll have one."
Hynes is also feeling better for conversations had with this weekend's rival No.7 Nathan Cleary.
The Cronulla halfback has spoken freely about an off-season visit from the Panthers playmaker, and is ready to put those lessons into action on Saturday night.
Asked about the situation on Monday, Cleary said he had been happy to see Hynes break his finals duck as a halfback against North Queensland last week.
"When you play the halfback position, you can feel empathy for other halfbacks that are under such scrutiny all the time," Cleary said.
"Obviously we're competitors this weekend but the last weekend that's been, I was happy to see him get a win.
"If anyone asked me for advice, I'd give it to them ... let alone when it's a mate like Nicho."
Cleary said he had predominantly drawn on his experiences from 2019, where there was intense scrutiny after Ivan Cleary's arrival as Penrith coach.
"It was probably the worst form of my career, leading into Origin," Nathan Cleary said.
"It's hard to see a way out of it at the time but you've just got to do some work on yourself and get some things in order.
"If you do the right things and you've got the right people around you, you end up coming out the other side better for it."
