The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks attack to cues better than any team in the NRL. They don’t always create the cues they want against the very best defensive teams in the competition, but if there is one in front of them, they’ll take it.

Sione Katoa’s try is a prime example of how everybody knows how to respond to the look of the defence in front of them.

The first comes as the Sharks were their way out of yardage; four defenders from the middle of the field.

Nicho Hynes executes his role to perfection. He takes the ball on the advantage line and bounces into the B defender. Importantly, Billy Burns knows the line to run. He doesn’t take the space away from Hynes to bounce out and hits the space in behind the turned-in three-man to break into the backfield.

Broncos fullback Hayze Perham is forced to make a tackle at fullback, and that’s the next cue for the Sharks to act on.

Not only is Perham left in the tackle for there to be nobody home behind the defensive line, the Broncos left edge is slow back to their ten. They’re not able to provide enough resistance for the kick-chase, who are on their bike as soon as Hynes takes possession.

There is no hesititaion from anybody wearing blue.

Sure, it takes a nice bounce, but fortune favours the brave, and Katoa is rewarded for pushing up in support of the first break and into position to latch onto the kick.

Edwards In Defence: After covering the struggles Isaiah Iongi faced when setting his numbers against a flipping Cody Walker in Round 17, I payed particularly close attention to Dylan Edwards this week.

He’s a master of setting a defensive line. It’s not a coincidence that the Penrith Panthers have played with historically good defensive numbers over the last five years.

Awarded a penalty in good ball and an opportunity to execute on a scripted set, the Rabbitohs get to work. So does Edwards.

He’s stalking Walker, first sending an extra man to the long side as the Rabbitohs five-eighth floats around the back of the ruck on the first tackle. As Souths get to their point just outside the right post on play-two, Edwards plugs himself in the longside this time. He gives the Panthers a thick seven-man line from the far post which keeps a lid on the Rabbitohs shift.

Walker is really wide out the back of the Keaon Koloamatangi lead and that is likely by design, but with a thick line inside him, Paul Alamoti is able to get high and spook Ashton Ward into playing short.

It isn’t a lost play for the Bunnies, though. They still generate momentum with Koloamatangi bringing the three-man into the tackle, but Edwards is quick to respond.

He identifies the threat early, and with Billy Philips caught around the legs and not likely to get back to the line, calls Liam Henry from the longside and puts himself into B on the shortside.

His speed off the line hurries Ward’s pass and allows Brian To’o to make a play which ultimately ends in a forward pass.

There are no supercoach points and no highlight reel moments for Edwards, but it’s fullback defence at its best.

Doueihi Swinging: This is a good look for Adam Doueihi near the line.

He’s a big unit for a halfback, but when playing the more central halfback role, isn’t always able to use his size and strength which makes his running game in space so dangerous.

With Jock Madden playing as the middle service and using a drop to hold up the four man with a lead inside two, the Wests Tigers get Doueihi running down hill at a lone winger with a player outside him.

He has the skill to make the read and pass at speed, or the sheer strength, as we see here, to barge over himself.

Early thoughts on State of Origin Game 3 before diving deeper for Premium subscribers on Wednesday:

Maroons In Yardage: The Blues boast an elite forward pack. They have the metre-eaters to get up the field even following the inexplicable dropping of Brian To’o¹.

In contrast, Queensland has the speed on the edge to make their way into New South Wales territory. They went to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow early in Game 2 where he had success both getting outside Kotoni Staggs, or taking off his inside shoulder with a sharp left-foot step. Their first try came on the back of some ad-lib football on the last tackle, but they were only in position to make an attacking play thanks to a shift to Tabuai-Fidow crossing halfway.

Daley has already made a team list change. Stephen Crichton on the right side would likely help to contain Queensland’s longer shifts in yardage. Still, I expect to see more of the same from the Maroons as they look to move up the field and make the big Blues back travel.

Daley’s Bench Rotation: How Laurie Daley rotated his bench in Game 2 is still difficult to understand.

ICYMI: It’s a guessing game trying to pick what Daley and the Blues will do for the decider, but I have a few ideas:

Blues Baiting: I’ve not noticed Harry Grant getting in the ear of referees, but it’s not something I look out for either.

Still, the Blues have spoken about their aim of improving at the art form. Reece Robson, in particular, made mention of perhaps providing the referee with some advice on Wednesday night:

“I think the whole Queensland side the last couple of games have been better playing that side of the game.

“That’s something we need to improve. Some people seem to get away with stuff, others don’t.

“Sometimes it can benefit you going after the penalties. It’s something they do really well.”

It’s not something that is likely to work. In fact, there is every chance it backfires and costs them an extra 10 metres. The ref mics seem to be exceptionally loud on the Channel Nine broadcast, so I’ll be listening out for how the Blues “improve” in “going after penalties.”

Looking beyond the bright lights of the NRL to the lower grades, one player caught my eye this week.

If the Canberra Raiders want to add some more spark to their attack, Mark Tuialii is on the list.

The 20-year-old will instantly bring comparisions to BJ Leilua when he debuts in first grade and the commentators see his left-arm fend into right-arm flick pass for the first time. This try assist isn’t a fluke:

The Raiders aren’t flush with undroppable outside backs. Simi Sasagi has been their best player this season, and while he suited up in the centres last week, he’s at his best further in-field.

With Canberra on the cusp of falling out of finals contention and ‘playing for next season’ possibly on the horizon, Tuialii could be the beneficiary.