Captain Cameron McInnes says Nicho Hynes has "taken bullets" for Cronulla this NRL season and the Sharks have a debt to pay the halfback on his return from an ankle injury.
The third-placed Sharks could have Hynes back from a seven-week lay-off as soon as Saturday for their home clash with the Warriors, naming him on an extended bench on Tuesday afternoon.
Even if his comeback is delayed until the last round of the regular season, Hynes is set to return to a Cronulla side that has a top-four finish within its reach.
It was a vastly different story than when the 2022 Dally M Medallist went down in early July as the Sharks battled a form slump that had yielded five losses from six games.
Hynes had also been contending with the fallout of his State of Origin axing, and his captain said in the dark times at the Sharks it was invariably the halfback wearing punches.
"Whether he plays or not this week, I just want to give him a wrap because during a time in the season where we weren't performing to our capabilities, I feel like he took a lot of bullets for everyone," said McInnes, who will play his 200th NRL game against the Warriors.
"He's such a strong person because when we play well, he gets the accolades. But when we don't at all, it generally falls on him, so a lot of other guys can keep their head underwater and not get found out.
"He takes that for everyone, so I'm so proud of him and the way he's carried himself through all of that.
"When he does get back on the field, he'll have nothing but support from us because we owe that to him."
Halves partner Braydon Trindall was hopeful a break would have done Hynes some good, after he too spent time on the sidelines this season in the fallout from a drug-driving incident.
"I kind of went through the same thing, I had a fair bit of time off. It's a good refreshment," the five-eighth told AAP.
"You get to get your body right and get your mind right and come back and put your best foot forward."
Trindall's partnership with back-up playmaker Daniel Atkinson has been key to the Sharks winning five of six games since Hynes suffered his training injury.
Trindall warned Hynes' doubters not to forget just how explosive he could be on his return, but said it wouldn't be on the halfback to lock up a top-four finish by himself.
"There's not much pressure on him, especially when the team's going pretty well," Trindall said.
"He'll be an awesome inclusion for us. I think people seem to forget how good a player he really is. It's a bit of a goldfish memory there from a lot of people."
