Australia have placed sixth at the end of a disappointing men's rugby sevens world series after failing to bounce back from their quarter-final exit at last year's Rio Olympics.
Australia did not win a tournament in a 2016-17 season beset by injuries and the loss of players to the 15-man game, including star Cam Clark (NSW Waratahs).
The nation's best finish was bronze in Hong Kong last month, while a sixth place at the season-ending tournament in London on the weekend typified the young side's lack of consistency.
They were beaten by the USA in the quarter-finals before smashing New Zealand 40-7 in the fifth place semi-final.
But Australia couldn't finish off with the season win, going down to South Africa 28-17 in the fifth-place play-off.
Coach Andy Friend said their up-and-down performances were typical of a developing side.
"Looking back on the year, when we were good, we were very good and when we were bad, we were rotten," Friend said.
"The highs and lows of that are too far apart so we need to flatten that out.
"That's part of having a young squad, we've been guilty of inconsistencies so we need to look at that."
The Bliztboks took out the world championship, ahead of England, Olympic gold medallists Fiji, New Zealand and the USA.
Friend says Australia has the foundation to become world champions despite going backwards on their fourth-place finish in 2015-16.
In London on Sunday, Australia were level with South Africa at half-time thanks to tries to John Porch and Simon Kennewell.
The Blitzboks scored again though to retake the lead before Australia closed the gap to make it 21-17 through Alex Gibbon before Rosko Specman closed it out for South Africa with a runaway try on full-time.
"We had the chance to beat the current world champions at the end and for all bar the last 30 seconds. I thought we were going to win that," Friend said.
"A disappointing day with positive signs but we finished sixth at the tournament and sixth for the season so it's probably a fitting result."
Scotland were the eventual winners in London as they defeated hosts England 12-7 in a tense final at Twickenham.
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