Dumped NSW forward Luke Lewis isn't waiting for an SOS call from coach Laurie Daley for the State of Origin decider - but that doesn't mean he won't pick up the phone.

Daley could be on the lookout for a new utility after second-rower Josh Jackson was put on report for a lifting tackle in Canterbury's 24-12 win over Penrith on Saturday night.

The NRL match review committee's charge sheet comes out on Monday.

And should the 24-year-old cop anything more than a one-game ban, Lewis could be in line for a recall after yet another vintage performance for Cronulla in their 30-28 comeback victory over Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.

Lewis, 31, has yet to appear in this year's series after being dropped for game one in Sydney.

"If you get picked then you definitely take the opportunity," he said.

"But I know 'Loz' is trying to build a new team by getting young guys in there and I totally understand that. I'm all for what's best for NSW. I'm enjoying my footy at Cronulla at the moment, so we'll see how it goes."

Lewis proved just how valuable a utility he can be after winding back the clock to score a match-turning try from the wing that kick-started Cronulla's avalanche of points.

The former winger found space down the sideline before sending the ball back infield and then backing up Ben Barba to take the final pass for the try.

"I remember I coached him in the Junior Kangaroos team. Luke Rooney and Luke Lewis were the two wingers I had in the team," Sharks coach Shane Flanagan recalled post game.

"It was a fair team. Johnathan Thurston halfback, Cameron Smith the hooker, so I can remember back then and he still has some good wheels under him, Luke.

"He can run when he has to and just to keep pushing and pushing and to come up with the try in the end was special for him.

"I thought he was great. He led by example like the senior player he is."

Lewis' touchdown could've been an eight-point try after Knights forward Tariq Sims was put on report for whacking him on the jaw in the act of scoring.

Lewis said Sims had apologised after the tackle.

Meanwhile, after overseeing more than 700 top-level games, Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett rated his team’s defensive display up there with the best in their 14-12 win over Melbourne.

The Broncos held on to the NRL competition ladder lead after a courageous performance at AAMI Park.

They were forced into a mammoth 11 goal-line drop-outs and 385 tackles but barely cracked in a gripping match.

‘‘We weren’t pretty in some things we did with the football but we were magnificent in defence,’’ Bennett said.

‘‘I’ve seen a lot of great defence in my time ... how do you categorise it – if you want to put it in the grand final of something it definitely is.’’

Stand-in skipper Sam Thaiday said some of his teammates were so tired they could barely manage the club song in the dressing room post match.

Hooker Andrew McCullough led the tackle count with 56.

Both teams were missing key players through injury and some were rested following Wednesday’s State of Origin.

Melbourne were without injured duo Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk, while Maroons’ Corey Parker and Justin Hodges sat out.

Without Slater and Cronk, the Storm lacked finishing finesse.

They had 59per cent of possession and 69per cent of territory, dominating everywhere except on the scoreboard.

‘‘We had enough ball to win three games,’’ Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.

‘‘We had a thousand line drop-outs but we just lacked a bit of polish through a couple of stages of our sets,’’ he said. - AAP

AAP