Brumbies captain Stephen Hoiles believes his side has plenty of room for improvement, despite them notching up thier fourth win of the season against the Sharks at home on Saturday night.
With only one loss so far this season, the Brumbies are currently a clear fifth on the ladder heading into next week's important away clash against the Blues.
Hoiles admitted there was still plenty of room for improvement from his side, with a few new faces in the line up he said they still hadn't quite gelled.
"We've won a few games now but we're all pretty aware this side's got a lot of improvement in us," Hoiles said.
"Guys aren't there (in the rooms) carrying on telling each other how good we played and how good we are.
"I think everyone's aware to be serious contenders in this competition we've got to improve.
"I think that's a good feeling at this stage of the year, you'd rather guys be in there happy we've had a win but realising we've got to get better," Hoiles said.
He said there was no silver bullet to get the side to reach its potential, it would just take hard work on the training track and more time playing together.
In an ominous warning to the rest of the competition, he said the team felt they team's only been in third gear so far.
"We've just got to continue to work hard," Hoiles.
"We're aware that things haven't clicked but it's always nice to be winning games when you feel like you're still in about third gear."
Bonus points, or a lack there of, has been an issue for the Brumbies in season's gone by but Hoiles was happy to get away with the narrow win.
"You get an opportunity to get five points a game and we got four – that's pretty good," Hoiles said.
"It's not necessarily the bonus point that's frustrating us it's the lack continuity and opportunities we're not finishing.
"It's more the fact we're not getting the final pass in…there's always things we can work on."
Meanwhile, full-back Julian Huxley has been cleared to make his return after almost two years out of the game.
Huxley's career was put on hold two years ago following the discovery of a brain tumour after suffering a head knock against the Reds in March 2008.
Since then Huxley has pursued extensive medical research and testing to obtain the clearance that will allow him to run out for the Brumby Runners against the Junior Waratahs on Sunday.
The 30-year-old has played 53 Super Rugby matches for the Brumbies and the Reds and nine Tests for the Wallabies, including three matches during the 2007 Rugby World Cup.