Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham is locked in negotiations with a number of key personnel, including outside centre Tevita Kuridrani, with almost two-thirds of the squad searching for new deals.

It's understood the Brumbies have been working with player agents and the ARU to put the building blocks in place after the club lost some of its biggest names last year.

Kuridrani, Scott Fardy, Sam Carter, Tomas Cubelli and Jarrad Butler headline a long list of players who will become free agents at the end of 2017.

Only a handful of the Brumbies' are already locked into the 2018 season and beyond, including Scott Sio, Rory Arnold and Kyle Godwin, while David Pocock is set to return next year after a sabbatical.

Sio re-signed until the end of 2019 to challenge himself and has emerged as a key leader for a new-look Brumbies side this season.

"Every team is going to go through what we're going through [with player turnover] and we have lost a wealth of experience," Sio said.

"But what it does is give opportunities to younger guys and some fringe guys to really showcase their ability. I'm excited about that.

"A lot of the guys have alluded to the family culture we have when they come here, and the brotherhood we have built. That's all we can do.

"We've got to show them the environment we're trying to build and what we want them to be a part of. Guys will make the right decisions from them and their families when it comes to contracts."

The lure of playing in the 2019 World Cup will be a massive incentive for off-contract players to remain in Australian rugby.

However, it could also delay the Brumbies roster outlook given the ARU takes charge of contract negotiations for players of national interest.

Larkham is in his final year as Brumbies coach before moving into a full-time role with the Wallabies and some players could wait until a replacement is appointed before deciding on their future.

The Brumbies hope to have Larkham's successor in place as early as the end of February to assist the club's planning for the future, while new chief executive Michael Thomson will begin his tenure next week.

On the field the Brumbies have been sweltering through training sessions, including the 38 degree heat on Tuesday.

The Brumbies will play against an Australian Barbarians side on January 28 in their first pre-season test before a trial against the NSW Waratahs and the Brisbane Tens.

Teenage back-rower Robert Valetini has impressed Brumbies coaches in his brief stint and could be rewarded in the coming weeks with an upgraded deal.

But the hard-hitting Melbourne junior wants to press his claims for game time.

"I'm still surprised I'm in this environment, I didn't think it would come to me as an 18-year-old," Valetini said.

"I'm just trying to challenge the boys [in my position] and try to push for [a debut]. I don't want to use my age as a factor of why I'm not in the [game-day] 23."

Sio is in his second week of training in Canberra after using the Wallabies' spring tour of Europe to establish himself as a regular Test prop.

"I'm going into my sixth season and [the new faces and enthusiasm] has given me a boost," Sio said.