The Brumbies flanker completed 220 carries in the Super Rugby Pacific season, almost 50 more than any other player.
The Wallabies star kept running hard but the wheels were slowly falling off for the fast-starting side that limped into sixth place before copping a historic hiding from the Hurricanes in the first week of finals.
Coach Stephen Larkham said fatigue hit his less-experienced squad members about two months into the tournament, while the loss of ball-carriers Ikitau and Tom Hooper to Exeter in the English Premiership had taken a toll.
"We put a fair load on one player this year," Larkham said of Valetini.
Ikitau, set to play alongside Hooper in this weekend's Premiership final against Northampton, will return from sabbatical to Canberra next season.
"Having someone like Lenny coming back into the system will balance that out a little bit," Larkham said.
"We certainly missed both Lenny and Hoops."
Meanwhile, 19-year-old flyhalf Finn Mackay has been secured on a two-year deal, effectively filling the place of the released Harry McLaughlin-Phillips at the Queensland Reds.
Former Junior Wallabies playmaker McLaughlin-Phillips played the bulk of this season, with Wallabies pair Tom Lynagh and Carter Gordon never fit and available at the same time.
"Despite a lot of interest elsewhere, Finn has chosen to back himself against two Wallaby 10s at the Reds, which speaks to his intent," Reds football boss Sam Cordingly said of Mackay, who will play at the under-20s world championship in Georgia this month.
McLaughlin-Phillips, 22, has been linked with moves to the NSW Waratahs and Western Force, who are both assessing their play-making options after a raft of off-season list changes.
The Reds also announced the departure of Richie Asiata, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Louis Werchon and Heremaia Murray on Monday.
Josh Flook will head to Benneton in Italy alongside Werchon, but could earn a Test recall before that, with Reds midfield teammate Hunter Paisami (knee) injured and fellow centre Ikitau finals-bound in England.
Exeter's run means he and Hooper could arrive too late to feature in the Wallabies' season-opener against Ireland in Sydney on July 4 and instead target the Brisbane clash with France a week later.
French-based prop Taniela Tupou is in the same boat after his Racing 92 outfit reached the Top 14's final four.
Tupou could miss the Brisbane Test, and potentially the third Test in Perth against Italy on July 18, if the Parisian club make the final.
That mammoth season has traditionally meant France's best players, including superstar halfback Antoine Dupont, have missed the tour to Australia.
However, the French Rugby Federation has given its Australian counterpart assurances that a full-strength squad will be arriving for the July 11 Suncorp Stadium clash.
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