Thomson also says the Brumbies will make a decision early next year about coach Dan McKellar's long-term future after a strong finish to his rookie season.

The former Rugby Australia integrity manager and Brumbies chairman will move into the chief executive role on October 22 after Michael Thomson resigned this week.

The Brumbies hope appointing Phil Thomson will give them continuity and while the squad is all but finalised for next year, cashed-up overseas teams will be preparing to swoop at the end of a World Cup cycle.

David Pocock, Tevita Kuridrani, Henry Speight, Christian Lealiifano, Rory Arnold, Scott Sio and Allan Alaalatoa are among a list of players who have contracts that expire at the end of 2019.

"Your Wallabies players are the ones you have to focus on a little bit in advance because they will get offers and we have to be aware of that," Thomson said.

"It's a two-way conversation if something comes up. I've got to have a chat with a few of those players and I'll touch base with some of the senior players before they go on [the Wallabies' spring tour].

"I'll let them focus on the tour and then have a good break. We're already speaking with Rugby Australia about the plan for the World Cup and rest periods. We've already started that communication."

It's believed the Brumbies are still working on a deal to lure James Slipper to Canberra. Slipper is on the outer with the Queensland Reds after being suspended this year for testing positive to cocaine.

His likely arrival will bolster prop depth, especially after the retirement of games record holder Ben Alexander.

McKellar will have squad stability going into his second season as a head coach and he has also recruited a handful of key players to help the club chase a return to the finals.

McKellar won seven of their 16 games this season and clicked under the new coaching structure to win four of the last five matches.

Thomson, in his role as chairman, and Michael Thomson conducted the post-season assessment of McKellar's first year in charge.

"We've got a coach who would be renewed, we hope, based on what we've seen so far. He's doing a fantastic job," Michael Thomson said.

"There will be changes at the end of a World Cup cycle in terms of the playing list. We've also got the change of Super Rugby potentially. So part of my reasoning [for stepping down] was that this is a good time to give a new [chief executive] a nice, smooth runway to start driving forward."

Phil Thomson served as an interim Brumbies chief executive in 2016.

"I was a part of Dan's performance review. Dan is off contract at the end of next season, it's something we've spoken to him about and we'll certainly be assessing it early into the Super Rugby season," Phil Thomson said.

"We realise it's something of a high priority. We're very happy with Dan's first year, and the way we finished the season is the way we want to start the season in 2019. We just need to do our due diligence."

The Brumbies are also hoping to appoint a new general manager of professional rugby and pathways in the coming weeks to oversee their roster management.

Former Melbourne Rebels mentor Damien Hill filled the role for the past two years, but left the Brumbies earlier this month to renew his coaching passion.