Brown's kicking to benefit from move to the right

Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown says his kicking game was a major factor in coach Brad Arthur's decision to switch both halves and back-rowers during the off-season.

Brown formed a handy combination with Shaun Lane on the left edge last year with Mitch Moses and Ryan Matterson on the right, but both pairs have traded places this year.

It got off to a clunky start in a trial loss to the Panthers and wasn't much improved in a dire 16-0 first half against Brisbane but started to click into gear thereafter as the Eels staged an impressive comeback 24-16 win at Suncorp Stadium.

"I think the main reason was to open up my kicking game because being a right-footer on that left side, it's extra pressure with markers coming from there," Brown said.

"Brad just said one training session we'll swap and see how it goes and we've stuck with it. To be honest I felt real comfortable on the weekend."

So comfortable, Brown added, he'd forgotten there had been a change until prompted by the question.

Nor does the switch confine either he or Moses to one side in attack, with Arthur keen for both playmakers to roam around in search of opportunities.

"I think that's something we need to work on," Brown added.

"If you want to do good this year it's something every team needs to work on, being able to swing both sides.

"The Rabbits do it very well, Cody Walker, Adam Reynolds and Latrell, you wouldn't even know if you watched their game you wouldn't know what side they camp on because they're everywhere. If you can do that you'll do well this year."

Defensively the edges weren't too bad for the Eels, although Anthony Milford was able to set up a first-half brace for Xavier Coates getting the Maroons flyer outside Moses, Tom Opacic and Maika Sivo.

"They scored a few on the wing in the first half but they seem to be pretty easy fixes that we can work on this week," Opacic said.

The combinations felt natural, the centre added.

"I didn't know too much of what was going on there last year but me being fresh, I guess everyone feels the same," he said.

"I think the Broncos would have been fired up for that one to start their season off well and they came out firing but this weekend we definitely need to be on top of our game.

"You saw how good Melbourne were last week, I'm sure they'll come out the same this week."

Brown said the players were well aware their record against the Storm is not the best, with last year's 14-0 round 15 win against a Storm side missing five key players their only win in the past six meetings.

"It's always a good competition with them. Even that one game we played them and all their players were out they still gave us a crazy go. We're going to have to take our best on Thursday," Brown said.

"You get more excited [being underdogs] and I think that's how we're gonna do it this week, we'll be excited, we have to keep a level head."

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