ACT Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham will throw open the club's doors to his replacement, revealing he is willing to invite the successful candidate into the inner sanctum to ensure a smooth transition.
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The Brumbies have put a process in place to find Larkham's successor, with the champion playmaker to join the Wallabies as a full-time assistant from the end of 2017.
Larkham says he is open to the idea of working with the man who will replace him as the Brumbies plot a path to appoint a new coach as early as February.
Larkham desperately wants to be able to leave his post having guided the Brumbies to a drought-breaking Super Rugby title.
The Brumbies went close this year, making the finals for a fourth consecutive year.
But in the end it was a 12-month journey of highs, lows, off-field drama, high-profile departures and an shock diagnosis that rocked the club. Here we look at the top-five headline moments of 2016.
THE BACK-OFFICE CHIEF EXECUTIVE DRAMA
Larkham was on the Brumbies team bus in Perth when his phone started ringing in just the third week of the Super Rugby season.
Larkham got off the bus to avoid distracting his players and news of a Canberra rugby civil war started to filter through.
Chief executive Michael Jones was at odds with the board and the two-month drama that followed ended up in the ACT Supreme Court and fractured some relationships beyond repair.
During that same period, the Brumbies lost four of six games. But Larkham says the back-room saga didn't affect the playing group.
"I thought the off-field issues were handled pretty well by the players, we were able to focus on rugby," Larkham said.
"There were times throughout the year I was busy handling off-field issues and trying to keep the players away from the distraction of that.
"In reflection there was certainly a lot of discussions taking place. But the players knew they had a job to do and they didn't need to know anything else. I thought they handled it pretty well. It's just a coincidence it happened at the same time."
Interim chief executive Phil Thomson stepped in to guide the Brumbies to calmer waters while Michael Thomson will begin his tenure as boss at the end of January.
LARKHAM'S DECIDES 2017 WILL BE HIS LAST
Larkham will end two years of living a double life as Brumbies coach and Wallabies assistant when the Super Rugby season finishes.
The World Cup and Super Rugby-winning playmaker re-signed with the Brumbies for the 2017 season to give the club stability, but also decided it would be his last before joining the Wallabies on a full-time basis.
The Brumbies have already started searching for his replacement with the process to speed up in January and February.
Larkham will play some role in the process, and will work with the new coach to build the roster for 2018 and beyond as well as inviting him into Brumbies headquarters while he's still in charge.
"There's a handover process that is important," Larkham said.
"I certainly think the new head coach needs to understand where we've come from and what we've achieved over the last period of time.
"There's been quite a change ... there needs to be an understanding of the journey we've been on. We're open for anyone to come in and be a part of the group, that extends to local coaches or the region."
The Brumbies have re-signed Wallabies lock Rory Arnold for the next two seasons and it is expected more players will re-committ at the start of next year.
LEALIIFANO'S LEUKAEMIA ROCKS RUGBY
The Brumbies remain hopeful Christian Lealiifano will play some role in their 2017 season, even if that means having him step in as an assistant coach as he continues his recovery.
The Brumbies inspirational leader and respected playmaker was diagnosed with leukaemia in April. The news reverberated around the rugby world.
"It was pretty scary but we're working through with Christian and it will be ongoing," Larkham said.
"There's a lot of hope there. We're hoping he takes part in this next campaign to some extent, not necessarily as a player.
"But something like that affects the entire team, especially because of how respected Christian is."
Lealiifano had been feeling ill at Brumbies training and was getting medical clearance before a playing stint in Japan when one of the game's most popular figures was hit with some devastating news.
The new father is still in Melbourne getting regular check ups after a bone-marrow transplant with sister Sally.
A SEASON OF HOPE FALLS SHORT
The Brumbies' title chances boiled down to one aspect - a horror run against New Zealand opponents.
They finished at the top of the Australian conference, beat the NSW Waratahs twice, were undefeated against Australian rivals and won one of two games in South Africa.
"We set a goal to get a home final and we did that. But things didn't come off in that game [against the Otago Highlanders]," Larkham said.
"It's an unsuccessful year because we didn't win the championship. But we achieved what we set out to do, except winning that quarter final. And that game could have gone our way."
But they lost five of their six games against New Zealand teams, including a heartbreaking finals defeat at the hands of the Otago Highlanders.
The Brumbies started like a house on fire, thrashing the Wellington Hurricanes in a round-one shellacking in Canberra. But their losses against Kiwi teams included some low points and record-losing margins.
In their five losses they conceded 40 points or more in three games and the total points tally was 165 against and 71 for.
DEPARTING STARS LEAVE BIG HOLES
Stephen Moore. David Pocock. Matt Toomua. Joe Tomane. It's almost impossible to replace the talent that has already left the Brumbies.
The quartet alone boasts almost 200 Wallabies caps and almost 300 Super Rugby games of experience. Add to that the retirement of Ita Vaea, Lealiifano's illness and some key role players and it's a huge change at Brumbies headquarters.
There is light at the end of the tunnel. Saia Faingaa replaces Moore, Anthony Faingaa is back as well, Australian sevens Olympian Tom Cusack is getting a crack and young gun Rob Valetini is rated as a star of the future.
Larkham is confident the Brumbies fringe talent will rise up to make sure there is no drop off as the Brumbies chase a fifth consecutive finals berth.
But whether they've got the star power to be a title contender will be decided by how well they cover the gaps. The Brumbies are also looking for a new captain, with Lealiifano out of action and Moore joining the Queensland Reds.
"I'm excited by the guys that have a chance to step up," Larkham said.
"We'll have a leadership group and I do have a couple of guys in mind for captaincy duties, but we'll wait until closer to the season to make a decision on that."
Highlight: The Brumbies ignited their season with a thumping win against the Wellington Hurricanes 52-10 and then backed it up by beating the NSW Waratahs in round two.
Lowlight: The Kiwi horror. The Brumbies lost five of six games against New Zealand opponents and ultimately it was their downfall in 2016.
Biggest player loss: David Pocock. A world-class openside flanker who can change a game on his own. Jarrad Butler or Chris Alcock will step into his shoes.
One to watch: Robert Valetini. The teenager from Melbourne is as hard as nails. He might not get a Super Rugby shot in 2017, but if he does it could be the start of a sparkling career.
Gains: Saia Faingaa (Reds), Nic Mayhew (Blues), Chris Alcock (Force), Tom Cusack (Australian sevens), Lolo Fakaosilea (Reds), Ben Hyne (Tuggeranong), Rob Valetini (Melbourne), Ryan Lonergan (Tuggeranong), Kyle Godwin (Force), Anthony Faingaa (Reds), Tom Banks (Reds).
Losses: Stephen Moore (Reds), David Pocock (sabbatical), Albert Anae (Japan), Michael Wells (Waratahs), Robbie Coleman (Force), Matt Toomua (England), Michael Dowsett, Ruan Smith, Ita Vaea (retired).
Rd 1: Brumbies 52 bt Wellington Hurricane 10 at Canberra
Rd 2: Brumbies 42 bt NSW Waratahs 15 at Canberra
Rd 3: Brumbies 31 bt Western Force 14 at Perth
Rd 4: Brumbies 11 lost to Cape Town Stormers 31 at Cape Town
Rd 5: Brumbies 25 bt Free State Cheetahs 18 at Bloemfontein
Rd 6: Brumbies 23 lost to Waikato Chiefs 48 at Canberra
Rd 7: Bye
Rd 8: Brumbies 26 bt NSW Waratahs 20 at Sydney
Rd 9: Brumbies 14 lost to Canterbury Crusaders 40 at Canberra
Rd 10: Brumbies 10 lost to Otago Highlanders 23 at Invercargill
Rd 11: Brumbies 23 bt Pretoria Bulls 6 at Canberra
Rd 12: Brumbies 30 bt Melbourne Rebels 22 at Melbourne
Rd 13: Bye
Rd 14: Brumbies 66 bt Japan Sunwolves 5 at Canberra
Rd 15: Brumbies 43 bt Queensland Reds 24 at Canberra
Rd 16: Brumbies 15 lost to Auckland Blues 40 at Auckland
Rd 17: Brumbies 24 bt Western Force 10 at Canberra
Quarter final: Brumbies 9 lost to Otago Highlanders 15 at Canberra
February 25: Brumbies v Canterbury Crusaders at Christchurch, 5.35pm
March 4: Brumbies v Durban Sharks at Canberra, 7.45pm
March 10: Brumbies v Western Force at Canberra, 7.45pm
March 18: Brumbies v NSW Waratahs at Sydney, 7.45pm
March 25: Brumbies v Otago Highlanders at Canberra, 7.45pm
April 8: Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra, 7.45pm
April 15: Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels at Melbourne, 7.45pm
April 21: Brumbies v Wellington Hurricanes at Hawkes Bay, 5.35pm
April 30: Brumbies v Auckland Blues at Canberra, 4.05pm
May 12: Brumbies v Johannesburg Lions at Canberra, 7.45pm
May 20: Brumbies v Southern Kings at Port Elizabeth, 11.05pm
May 28: Brumbies v Argentina Jaguares at Buenos Aires, 7.40am
June 3: Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels at Canberra, 7.45pm
July 7: Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Brisbane, 7.45pm
July 15: Brumbies v Waikato Chiefs at TBC, 3.15pm
