Brumbies' coach Andy Friend says Saturday's do-or-die Super rugby clash with the NSW Waratahs will test whether his team can pick themselves up off the floor.

The Canberra-based team's finals prospects nosedived after a home loss to the Hurricanes last week.

Friend joked the Brumbies had probably tortured themselves over the weekend fretting over their poor performance.

With four rounds remaining, his side have slipped to sixth spot, with local rivals NSW and Queensland directly above them, three and four points ahead respectively.

"This is going to be the test for the team, championship teams need to lift and pick themselves up off the floor," Friend said on Monday.

"We were definitely on the floor the other night.

"The response at the (team) meeting this morning, the talk is right, we just need to make sure the actions are right now."

Brumbies' fullback Julian Huxley insisted the team's belief that they are one of the better sides in the tournament when they played their best had not been shaken by the defeat.

"I think we just need to get our attitude right and go out and be ourselves and enjoy playing together," Huxley said.

The former Wallabies star said prior to last weekend the Brumbies could probably have afforded one loss, but each of their four remaining games was now a must-win "grand final" situation.

Huxley, who recently made a successful return after having a brain tumour removed two years ago, scoffed at the suggestion he could be switched to five-eighth in place of Matt Giteau.

"I don't think there's any chance of that, I'm loving it at fullback and the thing is we've got one of the world's best tens at the moment," Huxley said.

"It's not a matter of how he's playing, it's just as a team we are not combining yet."

Friend said he didn't consider moving Giteau from five-eighth was necessary.

"Gits was doing everything he could do, he didn't get the best service," Friend said of Giteau's performance against the Hurricanes.

The Brumbies' coach said team cohesion would again be the focus this week after his forwards and backs again failed to combine effectively.

"We've got probably plan G coming up this week," Friend said.

He confirmed halfback Josh Valentine and forward Mitchell Chapman were likely to return from injury.

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