Noah Lolesio is fine-tuning his short kicking game as the Wallabies prepare to attack Argentina by foot in Buenos Aires.
Australia will play back-to-back Tests against Los Pumas in the next fortnight, starting in the nation's capital on Sunday morning (AEST).
Tickets to 2024 Wallabies home Tests are available here.
In a touring party that includes Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson, the 24-year-old has emerged as the new coach's first-choice playmaker after not playing a Test last year and slowly falling down the pecking order after his 2020 debut.
The jury remains out after tight wins against Wales and Georgia were countered by comprehensive back-to-back defeats to world champions South Africa.
Against the Springboks, the Wallabies were scoreless with Lolesio on the park in a 33-7 Brisbane loss and unable to score a try in a 30-12 Perth loss that followed a week later.
He said their offence was a work in progress and that Schmidt's desire to attack with short kicks had left him sharpening a new set of tools.
"Joe's a really big fan of the short kicking game so that's a bit of an adjustment and something I'm developing really hard, to manipulate the defence with ball on foot," he said.
"Instead of going contestable, or work our way into territory (with long kicks), it's more attacking, low, flat cross-field kicks.
"We tried to do it a few times in the second Test (against the Springboks). Some we got good pay, some we didn't execute.
"I've been working really hard on that and it's the adjustment on how Joe wants to play."
Lolesio has the backing of the coaching staff, with assistant coach Laurie Fisher believing the young half will be better for consistent time in the playmaking role.
“I think there were some great signs from Noah in the second 'Boks game," he said on Saturday.
"I thought he played the game plan as we’d asked. He executed it as he’d been asked to do.
“Again, it all takes time. They’ve got to improve their output, what they do off the field as much as what they do on the field.
“It’ll take time, but I think Joe is working hard to grow their game understanding, appreciation of what’s important in every moment, and the ability to deliver under pressure.”
