They did it the same way they need to attack on Sunday \u2013 using the speed and skill of Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam down Cleary\u2019s edge.<\/p>\n
Mam is named to come off the bench after his long hamstring lay-off. When he does get on the field \u2013 ideally against tiring defenders \u2013 Brisbane need him and Walsh attacking down the left, stepping and straightening the play up and trying to isolate Cleary and Liam Martin in defence.<\/p>\n
These two-play sequences actually start with Adam Reynolds and Jordan Riki on the opposite edge.<\/p>\n
Canterbury\u2019s Jacob Preston successfully targeted young Talagi and Casey McLean last week and as good as he has been the past few months, McLean battled with a shoulder issue when the Bulldogs kept coming his way.<\/p>\n
Reynolds needs to do the same with Riki and Kotoni Staggs. Send them at the gap between Talagi and McLean, work them over and build momentum.<\/p>\n
If Brisbane can do that around halfway on the third, fourth and fifth tackles \u2013 when edge defenders typically grow passive and begin dropping back to cover kicks \u2013 then the long shift back left is on.<\/p>\n
Brisbane isolated Cleary doing this in the 2023 grand final and dragged him out of the defensive line repeatedly. He could see what was coming, but couldn\u2019t do anything about it.<\/p>\n
Good luck to any defender in that situation where Walsh and Mam are using their pace, combined with their brilliant ability to step back inside.<\/p>\n
This is when Walsh is at his most dangerous, and Canberra\u2019s right-edge defence found out the hard way<\/a> a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n Sunday\u2019s grand final qualifier really could go either way. The only real certainty is we\u2019re in for another fantastic afternoon affair.<\/p>\n Joey\u2019s tip: Panthers by two A Storm is coming: How do you stop these plays?<\/p>\n With Jahrome Hughes named to return from a broken wrist, the Storm No.7 has two key plays to deliver points against Cronulla. And they\u2019re so effective, they might be all Melbourne needs.<\/p>\n Eliesa Katoa has grown into one of the game\u2019s elite back-rowers under Craig Bellamy and he will be running all night at Braydon Trindall.<\/p>\n Katoa\u2019s ability to hit the line puts the defence under so much pressure. No one finds space or isolates a half, forcing them to make one-on-one tackles, quite like him.<\/p>\n He makes life easy for his own playmakers and is a nightmare for the opposition, especially when Ryan Papenhuyzen sweeps around the back of those plays. Katoa has scored 25 tries in the past two seasons, and it\u2019s easy to see why.<\/p>\n Melbourne\u2019s other play is obvious to all, but it doesn\u2019t get any easier to defend. Hughes and Cameron Munster are both so good at dropping the ball on a dime for towering wingers Xavier Coates and Will Warbrick.<\/p>\n And they\u2019re near impossible to stop when they\u2019re flying<\/a> either a metre out from the try line, or leaping straight into the in-goal.<\/p>\n Ronaldo Mulitalo can match it with Warbrick, and Sione Katoa punches above his weight in the air, but he\u2019ll be giving away 14cm to Coates and is an obvious target. Again, Katoa is one of the best in the game too as a mid-field kick target around the far goalpost.<\/p>\n The secret to the Sharks: A tale of two halves<\/p>\n Cronulla are at their best when their halves are full of confidence<\/a>, playing together and making the most of Mulitalo\u2019s skill, strength and competitiveness out wide on the left wing.<\/p>\n The Sharks did this brilliantly after absorbing everything Canberra had last week<\/a>, and turned the game with two tries in three minutes.<\/p>\n Cronulla waited for their chance and were scoreless until the 34th minute. But when Nicho Hynes can link with Trindall and take on the line, they\u2019ve got points in them.<\/p>\n Mulitalo\u2019s first try came because Trindall was able to create a disjointed defensive line by putting Corey Horsburgh under the microscope, and Hynes was then good enough to thread the cut-out pass afterwards.<\/p>\n Nicho\u2019s own try came after he and Trindall found each other again minutes later, first for a long break downfield, and then with Trindall\u2019s inside ball for his halfback the very next play.<\/p>\n The Sharks playmakers have come a long way, and there\u2019s nothing better than seeing a six and seven combine like they do, but I still think Melbourne are too strong in this one.<\/p>\n Joey\u2019s tip: Storm by 10 From bottom eight to finals\u2026 and the top four<\/p>\n The two sides I see improving most in 2026 \u2013 provided they finally get some luck on the injury front \u2013 are the Eels and Dolphins.<\/p>\n Eels skipper Mitchell Moses was a big part of the club\u2019s late-season revival.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n If Mitchell Moses can play 75 per cent of Parramatta\u2019s games then I\u2019ve got them playing finals next year. Jason Ryles\u2019 shake-up delivered not just promise, by the end of the year it was genuinely delivering on the paddock.<\/p>\n Just look at their last three games: they beat the Roosters by 20, knocked off the Warriors in Auckland and put a record score on Newcastle. I think Jack de Belin will be a quality signing for next year and the Eels will be back in the top eight.<\/p>\n And as for the Dolphins, if they can get their best side on the paddock, I think they\u2019re better than just playing finals \u2013 I think they\u2019re a top-four hope.<\/p>\n Loading<\/p>\n Isaiya Katoa will have another off-season at halfback<\/a> under his belt and outside him will be a back line of Herbie Farnworth, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Selwyn Cobbo, Jack Bostock and Jake Averillo. If they can stay on the field, that\u2019s one of the best back fives in the NRL.<\/p>\n Add Tom Gilbert and Tom Flegler returning from injury and the Dolphins are in great shape for 2026.<\/p>\n Win one of 10 double passes to the 2025 NRL grand final. Click here for details<\/a> and to enter the competition, exclusive to Sydney Morning Herald subscribers.<\/p>\n
First try-scorer: Gehamat Shibasaki
Man of the match: Nathan Cleary<\/p>\n
First try-scorer: Xavier Coates
Man of the match: Harry Grant<\/p>\n![\"Eels](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/b42de5b980d23d4e8fc0588a6dceb29ce4e16ff6.jpeg\")
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