Storm coach Craig Bellamy believes the new six-again rule will play right into the hands of his team and experienced skipper Cameron Smith.
The new rule was front and centre in Brisbane on Thursday night as the Eels made the most of a host of repeat sets when on the attack to crush the Broncos 34-6.
While admitting it was risky to take too much out of just one match, Bellamy thinks Smith in particular will be able to use all his craft and guile to help Melbourne thrive with the prospect of more freedom at dummy-half.
"The way a few of the dummy halves in last night’s game came out and got people on to the ball are pretty encouraging for us as no one does it better than Cameron," Bellamy said on Friday.
"We don't know if the style of game will continue on from last night … but the craftier dummy-halves will be able to do some damage and also the quicker dummy-halves as well.
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"We are only going on last night, but if that is a continuing pattern we would like to think it would give us a bit of an advantage with Cameron's experience and what he does so well."
Bellamy is hoping Smith will get the chance to shine when his side takes on the Raiders in a blockbuster clash between two undefeated sides and two of the premiership fancies in Melbourne on Saturday night.
The Raiders have defeated the Storm in their past two contests, with their most recent triumph an upset in the first week of the 2019 finals at AAMI Park.
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"After the last two games here, they probably have [the wood on us]," Bellamy said.
Teams are only allowed 20 players to attend games due to biosecurity measures, but Bellamy said he will have a few other squad members on standby at home should any late changes need to be made.
"We will have them sitting next to their phones with their boots polished and their mouthguard ready in case we do get a crop of guys that do come down," Bellamy said.
"If we have a few temperatures up that will be a bit of a worry, but hopefully we will be able to manage that if it happens."
Bellamy said Kiwi international Nelson Asofa-Solomona was in no doubt for the clash and he expected the giant front-rower to be primed for a big performance against last year's runners-up.
Asofa-Solomona had been battling hamstring issues during the earlier parts of the season, but Bellamy said those concerns were behind him and he was a certain starter.
"I might be putting a bit of pressure on him here, but he has trained unbelievably well this week," Bellamy said.
"So hopefully it can carry on to tomorrow night."
