When Cronulla coach John Morris sat down at the start of the NRL season, he looked at his left edge and drew up plans to partner Wade Graham alongside Bronson Xerri.

And after watching his plans finally come to fruition in last week’s upset of South Sydney, Morris couldn’t hide the smile on his face.

In his first game back from a hamstring injury, NSW back-rower Graham kick-started the Sharks’ title tilt by setting up two tries and having a hand in another in a performance which reminded the rest of the competition of his x-factor potential.

On two of those occasions he delivered deft passes to Xerri to slide him into space.

All season Morris had wanted to put the two side by side.

But Graham has been restricted to just four club games during a horror injury run while Xerri has been shifted around the field as he finds his feet during his rookie year.

Given Graham’s slight of hand and Xerri’s blinding speed, it’s a combination Morris knows will be important for his seventh-placed Sharks in the run to September.

“It’s been my vision all along to get Bronson outside Wade,” Morris said.

“We haven’t been able to do that because Wade hasn’t been there. To see it come to fruition is good.

“I know Bronson is liking playing outside Wade, getting a bit more ball.

“It’s certainly brought Bronson back into the game having a ball-playing back-rower inside him.”

Morris said Graham wasn’t satisfied after tearing the Rabbitohs to pieces and wanted to keep his hot streak going against Penrith on Friday night.

“He brings a lot to the team, not just his ability to play with the ball,” Morris said.

“The confidence he instils in everyone else around him, he allows them to relax and play their game.

“We see a different Shaun Johnson and Chad Townsend with Wade in the team, it just takes that pressure off them.

“Nothing amazes me with Wade Graham, his skill level is like no back-rower in the game.”