Queensland playmaker Berrick Barnes has attributed the Reds' deflating month of woe to being blinded by "our own press" as the Super 14's entertainers.

But he and coach Phil Mooney believed there would be little chance of falling for the same mistake in preparing for Saturday night's clash with the Brumbies after their 31-24 boilover against the Blues in Auckland.

As well as ending a 20-match, three-year drought on the road, the four-try performance snapped a four-match losing streak by Queensland after they upset the previously-unbeaten Sharks in round five.

Hidings by the Chiefs and Western Force were followed by an unlucky loss to the Highlanders in Invercargill before last week's humiliating home defeat to the lowly Lions which prompted a huge outcry from fans.

Barnes, who moved from inside centre to five-eighth to expertly guide the Reds around North Harbour Stadium, said the Lions loss jolted the team back to earth after they got drunk on the entertainers tag, let preparation standards slip and executed poorly.

"There was a lot of soul searching but we were very positive and we did our best to sort out everything and get everyone moving along the same line," he said.

"But that's going to be the challenge next week going up against the Brumbies, keeping up that preparation.

"Part of the problem has been reading our own press. I think as a young team you can get a false sense of security - we won't do that sort of stuff this week.

"We've got to focus on getting our own game right and getting our self-belief back and this game has gone a long way to achieving that."

Mooney agreed: "That's why you don't read newspapers when you're a sportsman because you either believe you're better than what you are or you get ahead of yourselves".

On a cold, wet and very dark Auckland night, Barnes emphatically stamped himself as Australia's perfect back-up No.10 to five-eighth Matt Giteau.

Barnes, wearing No.12 but playing at 10 after a secret switch with Quade Cooper, is likely to keep the role in Saturday night's all-Australian derby at Suncorp Stadium.

Queensland have only enjoyed one win from 14 matches against the Brumbies and a second would celebrate veteran Reds hooker Sean Hardman's record in becoming the most capped Queenslander - eclipsing Mark Connors' mark of 134.

Hardman will go head to head with former teammate Stephen Moore, who he competed with for four seasons for the No.2 jersey.

Queensland will be without promising young winger Luke Morahan (shoulder) but are expected to have Wallabies finisher Peter Hynes back from a knee injury.

Mooney indicated he'll give some thought to retaining Charlie Fetoai at outside centre after his best-ever match for Queensland, including a tackle-shedding second-half try.

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