Under pressure NRL star Nicho Hynes urged to get in touch with Latrell Mitchell following difficult month of footy for NSW Blues and Sharks

Former NRL star turned commentator Braith Anasta has urged Nicho Hynes to make contact with Latrell Mitchell following a tumultuous month of footy for the Cronulla Sharks halfback.

With the scores tied at 14-14 last Friday night, Hynes had the chance to snatch victory against Canterbury at Accor Stadium when the Sharks rolled into the red zone.

But the 28-year-old someone shanked his shot from 18 metres out and directly in front.

To make matters worse, rival Matt Burton was then the hero in the Bulldogs’ 15-14 victory with his own long-range strike only a minute later.

The glaring miss from Hynes continued a bumpy few weeks for the 2022 Dally M Medallist.

Hynes found himself dropped as NSW halfback following the State of Origin series opener after struggling to rouse the 12-man Blues into the contest at Accor Stadium on June 5.

In his first game after Origin I, Hynes missed a sideline conversion attempt that could have sent the Sharks to extra time against the Dolphins, who instead escaped with 30-28 win.

Hynes has been open about his mental health challenges in the past – and Anasta believes it could do him the world of good to chat to Latrell Mitchell about dealing with adversity.

Latrell Mitchell (pictured) has also had a challenging year but bounced back in emphatic style for NSW in game two of the Origin series

The Souths star has had a rocky 2024 season, but has bounced back in emphatic style, helping the Blues demolish Queensland at the MCG to take the Origin series to a decider in Brisbane.

‘Latrell’s been there. Give Latrell a phone call,’ Anasta said on NRL 360 on Monday night.

‘Like honestly, look where he has come from two or three months ago.’

In a recent interview with Channel 9, Mitchell has discussed the toll that the constant drama and criticism has taken on him this year.

‘I just feel like a lot of people hate me and they don’t know me,’ he said on the Sunday Footy Show.

‘A lot of people hate me to make me the villain all the time so I tend to shut the doors on who I am as a person.

‘That’s how I am at the moment because that’s how I’ve been s*** on. In my past times, but I’ve learnt a lot from those situations being young. And being taken advantage of.

Fox League presenter Braith Anasta (pictured) hopes Hynes will reach out to Mitchell to talk about how best to deal with adversity 

Hynes was dropped from the NSW Origin team after a poor performance in Game 1 on June 5 in Sydney

‘The way I act on the field is a bit of frustration from off the field. Acting out, it’s not the way to play footy. It’s not the game I love.

‘These short bursts of anger. That’s not me. That’s what just builds up over time or over the week or a month or a year of people just constantly at me.’

Addressing criticism from pundits in the media, Mitchell issued a six-word message.

‘If media just shut up and let me play,’ he said. ‘Honestly, if you shut up and let me play there’d be nothing controversial.’