POOR choices, snap decisions and quick to jump to conclusions.

No, this isn’t a story about a wayward teen. This is about Canberra’s edge defence.

If Ricky Stuart doesn’t sort it out quickly, they’ll struggle to win a game this season.

Speak to any first grade coach and they’ll tell you it’s difficult carrying one half who can’t defend but you can get by.

Round 20

Play with two poor defensive halves and it’s near impossible to hide.

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It’s something the Raiders are struggling with this season and it’s staring us all in the face after two rounds.

Both the Gold Coast and Newcastle exploited the Raiders’ edges and it paid dividends.

Sam Williams and Blake Austin are the target men.

This week they host the Warriors and you can guarantee the No.6 and 7 will feature on Stephen Kearney’s cheat sheet.

Kalyn Ponga draws in Sam Williams to put Lachlan Fitzgibbon away. Source: FOX SPORTS

NRL premiership winning hooker, Michael Ennis, broke it down on The Big League Wrap.

“Sam Williams and Blake Austin were absolutely terrorised by those two Knights (halves) on regular occasions,” Ennis said.

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Delve a little deeper and you can see just how big the problem runs.

Using Sunday’s narrow loss to the Knights as the example, the first try of the match was due to a poor reaction on the part of Williams.

Kalyn Ponga did enough to garner Williams’ interest with a little goose step and as soon as the half turned his shoulders in, Ponga had him.

“Ponga skipped to the outside of (Sia) Soliola and Williams has lost total sight of Fitzgibbon and just strolled in,” Ennis said.

Blake Austin turns his shoulders in to create the hole for Connor Watson to put Aidan Guerra away. Source: FOX SPORTS

“ … the more that Pearce and Ponga play direct and dive into the line, he (Williams) comes in through panic and opens up his outside shoulder and then they’re disconnected on the outside.”

The final try, and match winner, was perhaps the most baffling decision.

Austin screamed out of the line and left his edge exposed. It was a rushed decision outside of their usual structure and his team paid the price.

“Ricky’s given them a plan,” Ennis said.

“These days you have defensive coaches and you have systems to stay in. Blake Austin is coming out of there. He’s not told to rush out on Mitchell Pearce at all.

“Stay in your system. Get up and hold your space and it’s man on man but he panics because Mitchell swings to the short side.”