But there are some skeletons buried in the room that serve as a reminder of the tension in the Canberra rugby community that still simmers at some levels.

The start of the 2017 Super Rugby season is a chance for the Brumbies to have a fresh start after the off-field turmoil that plagued their campaign last year.

Thomson comes in with a new set of eyes and vision of uniting the club's supporters by moving on from the past and forging a successful future.

One of his first tasks is finding a new coach with the board keen to have someone in place by the end of February.

But in the background the division of a turbulent two years is bubbling away and there are issues that need to be addressed.

The controversial KPMG report that led to the demise of former chief executive Michael Jones is still suppressed by the ACT Supreme Court.

The report, which details transactions involving the club's move from Griffith to the University of Canberra, was the major source of angst in the rugby community.

Its contents could fill provide some of the missing pieces to the puzzle if the suppression is lifted.

There is still disunity and conflict at administrator level, highlighted in a blog by former ARU and Brumbies chairman Peter McGrath on the Griffin Legal website.

The rumblings have remained somewhat silent over the past seven months following Jones' exit. However, an upcoming annual general meeting is bringing tensions to the surface.

McGrath raised his concerns with governance issues, including a playing roster that has more than 20 players off-contract at the end of the year, constitutional changes, funding and board-level performance.

McGrath, who is also a foundation Canberra Raiders player and a long-serving rugby administrator, called for Brumbies chairman Robert Kennedy to stand down in August after citing a "litany of governance issues". Kennedy will stand for re-election to the board at the annual general meeting.

The annual general meeting is understood to be set for February, where new board members will be elected and the Brumbies will announce another significant financial loss.

The club has been forced to cut its spending to avoid insolvency and there were genuine fears the Brumbies were on the chopping block if SANZAAR, Super Rugby's governing body, axed an Australian team from the competition.

The Brumbies and the board of directors have been feeling the pinch for the past 12 months following an ugly chief executive fall out and courtroom battle.

The departure of Jones eased some pressure, but there is still heat being applied to the board following a worrying year off the field.

The Canberra clubs, who have the balance of voting power in the Brumbies board rooms, agreed to constitutional changes at the end of last year in the hope of moving in a new direction.

McGrath questioned the changes, and the board issued a statement saying: "the board has open and regular communication with its members and holds itself fully accountable for its actions" in response.

The Brumbies landed a lucrative major sponsor deal in December to give the club financial stability and Thomson is about to step into the den to mend bridges between all stakeholders.

Thomson has already started working with Larkham to retain the high number of players of contract while a new coach, who could be appointed as early as February, will have some flexibility in recruitment.

It is hoped Thomson, a respected sports administrator who has wide-ranging experience, will be able to unite the parties who remain at loggerheads.

There are no illusions. It's not all rosy in the Canberra rugby community. But just how smooth the transition is will depend on which skeletons rise again.