It appears his time is now, with Michael Maguire also facing a huge decision at five-eighth, with Roosters veteran Luke Keary considered to still be in the frame despite announcing he will retire at the end of the season.

The Blues have already lost Cleary and Tom Trbojevic to series-ending injuries, while Cameron Murray will struggle to feature at all with a hip flexor problem.

Bradman Best, who was gunning for a centre spot after his star turn in last year’s game three, is also in extreme doubt after hurting his hamstring during Magic Round. Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien described the issue as only minor.

The Knights have the bye this week and Maguire wants his new team to hit the ground running in training before the series opener in Sydney on June 5, hence Moses’ odds lengthening given he hasn’t returned from a broken foot yet.

Asked how close he was to missing a second straight NRL match, Hynes said: “I was in doubt, for sure.

“When you get a little calf strain, it’s always a risk pushing it too early. Clinically, with sometimes how many days it takes to recover, I’m not too sure. It felt good in the test and the training session I did do,” he said.

“It’s always a risk when you’ve got a strain in an annoying area. I just felt like the team needed me [on Saturday night] and the club needed me so we could put on a performance.”

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