Now it has been a case of who to leave out when selecting the Highlanders side to take on the Crusaders in Christchurch tomorrow afternoon.
Brown has made some tweaks to the backline and forward pack to take on a Crusaders side that is unbeaten this season.
Marty Banks will continue at first five-eighth and Lima Sopoaga, at this stage, is likely to come off the bench.
Sopoaga is coming back from a hamstring strain and is being cautious in his return.
"Lima is not quite right. Has got a bit of a calf niggle as well ... He’ll be 50-50 for the game so we are just best to start with Marty. If Lima comes right he will start on the bench, and so far he is, so he will start on the bench," Brown said.
"Marty has had all the game time and all the experience and every week he is getting better and better. He deserves the opportunity to start."
Outside Banks will be Rob Thompson, who is rewarded for some excellent play off the bench in the past couple of games. His promotion forces Richard Buckman to the left wing, where Tevita Li cries off, having picked up a shoulder injury last week.
Brown is enjoying having more players to pick but said they would be needed against the British and Irish Lions.
"It takes a lot of pressure off the team and off the medical staff. It makes our selection meetings a bit longer and robust, I suppose. It is a luxury to pick from 30-odd players.
"We are going to need a lot of players. There will be plenty unavailable [against the Lions]. For us it’s been great to expose a lot of guys to Super Rugby. I think in the past six weeks we have used 36 players.
"If we don’t get to use our All Blacks and Maori All Blacks against the Lions, we have plenty of players who have experience over the past two months to play Super Rugby."
Up front, impressive flanker Dillon Hunt has a slight strain in a gluteal muscle and is replaced by James Lentjes. Lentjes played 40 minutes of club rugby last week and Brown said he did everything that was expected of him.
The good form of Gareth Evans is rewarded with the flanker getting a start on the blindside ahead of Elliot Dixon. Prop Daniel Lienert-Brown will start in place of Aki Seiuli.
Brown said the side was looking forward to the game, which would be a massive challenge.
"Obviously, they are on a bit of a roll. They are playing outstanding footy. We want to go up there and pressure everything they do and also play our game and put them under pressure when we have got the ball. It is a massive challenge for us but one we are excited about."
The Crusaders have six All Blacks in their pack and have brought back Ryan Crotty and Matt Todd from concussion. Israel Dagg is on the bench.Brown will leave for Japan on Sunday to help coach the Cherry Blossoms against Romania next week, then two tests against Ireland.
Highlanders v Crusaders
The teams
Highlanders: Ben Smith (co-captain), Waisake Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Rob Thompson, Richard Buckman, Marty Banks, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock, James Lentjes, Gareth Evans, Tom Franklin, Alex Ainley, Siate Tokolahi, Liam Coltman, Daniel Lienert-Brown. Reserves: Ash Dixon (co-captain), Aki Seiuli, Siosuia Halanukonuka, Joe Wheeler, Elliot Dixon, Kayne Hammington, Lima Sopoaga, Matt Faddes.
Crusaders: David Havili, Seta Tamanivalu, Jack Goodhue, Ryan Crotty, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Mitchell Drummond, Jordan Taufua, Matt Todd, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Sam Whitelock (captain), Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett, Michael Alaalatoa, Quinten Strange, Jed Brown, Bryn Hall, Mitchell Hunt, Israel Dagg