Staying grounded after the ease of their 60-20 win over the Highlanders will be the key for the Blues when meeting the Brumbies in Melbourne on Sunday.

Assistant coach Dan Halangahu said there were enough areas for improvement to ensure they were not carried away with their opening effort.

"They harassed us at the breakdown, slowed a lot of our ball and, particularly from set piece, we didn't launch as well as we would have liked.

"We were pleased with some of the turnover attack and how we punished the Highlanders when they dropped the ball.

"The way we turned the ball over and really made them pay…some of our guys are great athletes and used to running the ball. But, the way they were able to share the ball, and make good decisions to finish those opportunities, that was a pleasing aspect."

However, the lack of discipline from the Blues was an area of concern. The Highlanders scored twice in the last moments of the first half when the Blues had players sin-binned.

"We let them into the game just before halftime and we know against a team like the Brumbies you can't do that."

Halangahu said it would take a few weeks to understand where teams were, especially as they got into the regular playing rhythms instead of pre-season mode.

"We've learnt over the years, and have been taught lessons time and time again, that complacency is one of the biggest risks. We call it out, we name it. It's something we keep reminding them. We know if we get complacent we start taking short-cuts."

The Blues suffered a setback with flanker Akira Ioane suffering a knee injury that will keep him out of action for two months. An MCL issue is suspected, and scans will confirm how long his recovery will be.

Halangahu said seeing All Blacks' first five-eighths Beauden Barrett starting so well was pleasing.

"Getting the kicking tee back was important. He likes to drive the game in that way, and things came well off the kicking tee. That flows into the rest of his game."

Changes to the laws were positive, and he credited forwards coaches throughout the competition.

"The intent is there to speed up the game and make it a better product. The referees are going a good job too. We're not seeing a huge difference in what they're doing, but they've planted the seed and it's growing."