Granted the freedom to promote the ball by coach Brad Arthur, Junior Paulo has become Parramatta's point of difference up front.
The 25-year-old prop is a major reason why the Eels sit atop the competition for offloads (12.5 per game) leading into Sunday's elimination final against Brisbane at Bankwest Stadium.
Paulo, who averages 2.3 passes in contact every outing and has collected two try assists, believes calculated second-phase play will be integral to Parramatta's playoff campaign.
"Brad gives us a licence to play footy. The style that we play comes off a lot of second-phase footy and I feel like that's where we have our strike power coming from," Paulo told pan66.com.
"It hasn't been a real focus but Brad said if you sight your target then you might as well get your offload away. It's been working for us and it's something we'll look to keep doing throughout the finals.
"Nothing's premeditated. You obviously have to sight your target before you get the pass away. There's no point in passing and hoping someone's going to be there to catch it. The madness has a bit of method to it."
In the past, Paulo has been made to curb his passing abilities to mesh with the team game plan.
Paulo and Mahoney combine
But upon returning to the Eels from Canberra this season the burly front-rower's skills have shone under Arthur's guidance.
"I've always been capable of playing that footy; it's just whether or not I've been given a licence to play or how the boys are travelling throughout the game," Paulo said.
"There's certain situations throughout games, whether we're leading or not, that will determine whether we play that style."
While the Broncos are also partial to an offload - ranking seventh with 9.8 per match - their best exponent of the art, Tevita Pangai jnr, is suspended.
But Paulo is well aware that Brisbane's side is still crammed full of danger men - particularly a young second-rower named David Fifita.
Fifita tore the Eels to shreds in a golden-point win in round 24, producing an inspirational charge that allowed Jamayne Isaako to kick the winning field goal.
"We know what David Fifita's capable of, we saw that last time we played them," Paulo said.
"You can't really focus on one person alone. It's a team sport and they definitely play good footy when they all gel together as a team.
"With David Fifita, we sort of just watched him run through our team the last game. It's more so just getting your body in front and making your tackles.
"A lot of his damaging runs come off missed tackles. If you're playing first grade you've got to be able to tackle one-on-one.
Eels v Broncos - Elimination Final
"It's an area we've been working on the past few weeks leading into the finals and it's one we're hoping to pull off this week as well."
Paulo's regular front-row partner Kane Evans won't face Brisbane after copping a one-week ban for a high tackle on Manly's Brad Parker last round.
However, Evans's absence hasn't placed any more pressure on Paulo.
"Not necessarily with Kane out - we'll be stepping up because it's finals," Paulo said.
"We know what we're missing with Kane but we also get the likes of Nathan Brown returning and we know what he brings to the team with his aggression and also his ball-playing skills.
"The game will be won in the middle. They certainly have a big forward pack and we do as well. It'll be a blockbuster this Sunday."
