The ACT Brumbies fullback was looking for that one competitive advantage, the one thing that could help make the Wallabies No. 15 jersey his own amid a mounting list of challengers.

So with the likes of Kurtley Beale, Reece Hodge and Jordan Petaia nipping at his heels, Banks has found the need for speed.

Banks will play a key role as the Brumbies look to start a Super Rugby season with five straight wins for the second time in club history - a feat not achieved since 2002 - when they face Petaia and the Reds at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.

The season so far has been one of his best, and the Brumbies have the numbers to back up Banks' brilliance. His VO2 max is higher, his acceleration and top speed are better than they were last year. And of course there's the eye test. He looks quick and powerful.

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Banks has run for more metres [427] than any other player in the competition. His 14 defenders beaten is a mark bettered by only four others. He is equal-sixth for tries scored and equal-fifth for try assists.

He can trace it all back to a pre-season spent breaking down the minor details. His foot placement, his take off, his action and a targeted weights program came under the microscope.

"People tend to focus on the negative things and always try to improve those things. If you're not improving the things you're best at, you sort of plateau," Banks said.

"I sat down at the end of last year and thought about what I need to get better at. The strongest part of my game was speed. If I can focus on the positives around accelerating and trying to beat defenders, that was probably one of the big improving points.

"In the off-season I had a lot of time to get a good gym program, a good speed program. Josh Strahorn helped me a lot. I feel faster.

"That's the hallmark of an outside back these days, just trying to be strong and powerful. If you pair that together with a bit of technique and a good platform it goes a long way."

The question mark hovering over Banks has always been whether he can take his Super Rugby form into Test rugby, but now he is surely back at the front of the queue for the fullback jumper he only lost due to a broken arm.

"At that level it's inches. When you get to that level, everyone is on the same playing field so you really need to have those competitive advantages and I guess speed is one of the best," Banks said.

"Chances don't really open up too much so you've really got to make something out of nothing or when it's half a chance, you've really got to take it. I've been trying to do that this year."

Like he did against the Melbourne Rebels to send Len Ikitau away untouched.

"What did he do first? It was his footwork that sat Tamati [Ioane] down. A little bit of footwork and then he found the seam, and then he had the speed and acceleration to take advantage of that," Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said.

"You can't coach it. He's worked really hard on it with Josh Strahorn and we're seeing benefits off the back of it. You need those players in your side, when they get into open space, put the glasses down.

"It's not just his speed, it's his footwork, his balance, he's powerful. It's the whole package."

Banks says last year didn't end the way he wanted to. A broken arm suffered in the Rugby Championship forced him out of the Wallabies' Spring Tour, but the silver lining was the pre-season it gave him in Canberra.

Now he has re-emerged as one of Super Rugby's most lethal weapons, swooping on inside balls from James Slipper and striking up a menacing combination with Tom Wright and Andy Muirhead.

"The coaching staff, they fill me with a lot of confidence to go out there and try things. The boys are just having fun out there, that's the best type of footy, when you're just enjoying it," Banks said.

SUPER RUGBY ROUND FIVE

Friday: ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium, 7.45pm. Broadcast live on Stan Sport. Tickets from Ticketek.

Brumbies team: 1. James Slipper, 2. Folau Fainga'a, 3. Allan Ala'alatoa, 4. Darcy Swain, 5. Nick Frost, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Jahrome Brown, 8. Pete Samu, 9. Nic White, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Tom Wright, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Andy Muirhead, 15. Tom Banks. Reserves: 16. Connal McInerney, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Sefo Kautai, 19. Tom Hooper, 20. Luke Reimer, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. Rodney Iona, 23. Jesse Mogg

Reds team: 1. Dane Zander, 2. Josh Nasser, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Ryan Smith, 5. Angus Blyth, 6. Seru Uru, 7. Fraser McReight (c), 8. Harry Wilson, 9. Kalani Thomas, 10. James O'Connor, 11. Josh Flook, 12. Hamish Stewart, 13. Hunter Paisami, 14. Jock Campbell, 15. Jordan Petaia. Reserves: 16. Matt Faessler, 17. Harry Hoopert, 18. Feao Fotuaika, 19. Connor Vest, 20. Liam Wright (c), 21. Spencer Jeans, 22. Lawson Creighton, 23. Isaac Henry

SUPER W ROUND THREE

Friday, March 18 - ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium, 5.15pm. Broadcast live on Stan Sport. Tickets from Ticketek.

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