This year looms as crucial for the current Sharks squad, with 15 off contract following four straight top-eight finishes and two consecutive preliminary-final appearances.
Siosifa Talakai and Toby Rudolf have already conceded they could soon be leaving the club, while co-captain Cameron McInnes is also off contract.
There is no question Cronulla have improved significantly each year under Craig Fitzgibbon, with his four seasons in charge almost feeling as if it has built to this point.
At the same time Hynes has previously spoken about the Sharks being disrespected by critics, despite being one of the NRL's most consistent teams.
The 29-year-old said on Monday commentary about he halves partner Trindall had again seeped through, including that he'd heard claims they'd enter this year under the most scrutiny.
"People want to say we're the most under-pressure pairing, but I don't know how that's so," Hynes said.
"There are a lot of halves partners out there who haven't made a prelim in their career or haven't been to one in a long time.
"There have only been two halves pairings who have won a comp in the last five years and that's the Panthers or the Broncos.
"So realistically we're doing a pretty good job, and now it's just about taking it to the next level."
Fifteen Sharks still remain from Fitzgibbon's first year in charge of Cronulla in 2022, when Hynes won the Dally M in his first season at the club.
That core group made the first week of the finals again in 2023, before being knocked out in the preliminary final by Penrith and Melbourne in the past two years.
"The Cronulla of 2022, I feel like we played a lot of footy and had a lot of highlight reels," Hynes said.
"But we probably didn't know how to - and this is me as well - play a long game.
"I was just coming from a fullback role into playing halfback for the first time in my career and I still wanted to go out there and just have fun and play footy.
"I thought I did that well and the team did that well, it's just when it comes to crunch time we might not have been able to game manage as much.
"I feel like 2022 to 2026 now, we know how to play a long game, we know how to grind out a game, we know how to win in all different ways."
The Sharks announced at their season launch on Monday that Blayke Brailey would join McInnes as a co-captain this year.
The club are also confident Sione Katoa has avoided a groin injury, after he left the field early in Saturday's trial win over Canberra.
