Ahead of his side's blockbuster Group 10 premier league road trip to Cowra on Good Friday Orange Hawks' centre-come-fullback Corey Brown says he's relishing his shift to the No.1 jersey, the move designed to give the speedster as much space as possible.
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With Jake Blimka sidelined with injury and captain-coach Willie Heta wanting Brown more involved, the experiment already looks like it will pay dividends after the 29-year-old produced a strong showing in Hawks' season-opening win over Lithgow last weekend.
"It was good, it was fun, I really enjoyed it," Brown said, with Heta's exact words regarding the move being "it's a bit of a waste having someone with the speed Corey has ... not getting as much space as he needs".
I get a bit more space back there, get the ball in hand quicker and a bit more too although I do miss the contact side of things compared to the centres.
- Hawks' Corey Brown, on shifting to fullback
"I did miss the contact side of things compared to the centres last weekend, but I do get a bit more space back there, get the ball in hand quicker and a bit more too.
"It was great running off Willie in the centres, he just puts the ball where you want it, but being in a little bit closer we're able to connect a bit more, which definitely helps."
Brown linked with Hawks midway through last year, the Kinross alumnus landing at the two blues after stints with St George Illawarra and the Wests Tigers, along with his long list of rugby union accolades.
A former Australian Schoolboy in the 15-man code, Brown also spent time in the Australian sevens program and the Western Force system, and boasts plenty of Intrust Super Shute Shield experience having starred in Northern Suburbs' backline.
He was the latter competition's leading try-scorer in 2012, too.
"I love it, it's been great," Brown said.
"It's a great bunch of people at Hawks and the standard's strong, it's a really good competition. I mean, I don't really buy into the rivalries too much but they do really add to the competition, it's been really good so far."
Considering he was on deck for Hawks' major semi-final loss to the Magpies at Sid Kallas Oval last year Brown said he's seen more than enough to know how torrid a time his side could be in for at the same ground on Friday, despite the fact the hosts will be without superstars Jeremy Gordon and Josh Rainbow.
"They were fantastic last year, and they'll be really strong regardless of who is or isn't playing," Brown said.
"They'll be hungry and motivated after the (grand final) loss last year so I think they'll definitely have something to prove, and being the Easter long weekend and in Cowra it's going to be a really, really tough game."
With Brown lurking around the ruck and an exciting backline outside him there's no question of Hawks' strength there, but he said Friday's round two clash looks likely to come down to the two sides' packs.
That's where his two blues beat Lithgow, despite it being their first look at life without big men Saul Houma, Sia Nemani and Tatafu Na'anuimotu.
That's a lot of size and impact to lose in one hit, particularly in Houma, but the likes of Ethan McKellar, Rakai Tuheke, Talon Hodge, Sam Coyte and Nathan Potts - a quality pack by anyone's standards, regardless - stood up a big way last weekend.
"The guys in our pack really stood up last week, they really put their hands up and got through that work [Houma, Na'anuimotu and Nemani] used to do but did it in their own way," Brown said.
"We got that win last week on the back of all the work they did up front."
Hawks and Cowra kick-off at 2pm on Friday afternoon at Sid Kallas Oval, with the two blues' side yet to be confirmed at time of publication.
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