The curtain came down on the Western Force Super Rugby Pacific season with a battling 24-19 loss to the Brumbies, Australia's best-performing side, at HBF Park on Saturday.
The Force went into the game with their destiny already decided, unable to make the finals after the Fijian Drua's 40-19 thrashing of the Melbourne Rebels earlier in the day.
The WA club wanted to end their season on a high, playing for pride and farewelling two former captains - 100-game player, club stalwart and fan favourite scrum-half Ian Prior and back-rower Michael Wells after two years at the club.
The Force put in a brave effort, battled until after the siren with late tries from Issak Fines-Leleiwasa and George Poolman, but were hurt by injuries to key players after the break.
Coach Simon Cron went into the game with the biggest pack at his disposal to try and nullify the Brumbies strong set piece.
Sam Carter returned to the starting side teaming up with Izack Rodda in the second row.
Captain Jeremy Williams moved to blindside flanker while front-rower Ryan Coxon started.
Max Burey started at fly-half for the first time with Ben Donaldson missing with a groin problem. Ben Funnell joined the bench with Chase Tiatia out with a shoulder injury.
Inside-centre Hamish Stewart made his 100th Super Rugby appearance, with tighthead prop Santiago Medrano starting for his 50th Force cap.
The Brumbies had the better of the first exchanges with plenty of phases against a fast-moving Force defensive line.
The Force launched from a line-out to pound the Force line before captain Allan Alaalatoa punched his way over. Noah Lolesio converted.
Five minutes later Brumbies winger Corey Toole raced onto a Liam Wright kick to cross in the corner. Converted.
The Force finally had multi-phases inside the Brumbies 22-metres, creating opportunities, making the Brumbies uncomfortable, but could not make a decisive break.
They got their reward five minutes before the break when the forwards went to work from a line-out after Brumbies scrum-half Ryan Lonergan was yellow-carded for a high tackle and Carlo Tizzano went over. Bayley Kuenzle converted.
Lolesio took his side's lead out to 10 with a simple penalty.
Then, as the clock ticked into the red, the Force opted for a scrum from a penalty close to the posts.
They thought they had scored when Kurtley Beale went over but the pass from Max Burey was ruled forward.
Cron was forced to shuffle his backline minutes after the restart when Stewart limped off and replacement San Spink followed him to the sidelines soon after, rolling his ankle in his first tackle.
Reserve scrum-half Fines-Leleiwasa went onto the wing.
Cron then lost No.9 Nic White to an HIA after a head clash with hooker Tom Horton as they tried to charge down a clearance kick, but he was cleared to return.
Fines-Leleiwasa came close, denied by a last-ditch tackle following a fine run by Burey, but the Brumbies used width and pace against the reshuffled backline and Wright crossed. Jack Debreczeni converted.
The Force closed their campaign with a flourish, scoring two tries in three minutes.
Fines-Leleiwasa finished a nice handling movement ahead of the siren, Kuenzle added the extras, and winger George Poolman crashed over on 83 minutes.
Western Force 19
Tries: Tizzano (35'), Fines-Leleiwasa (80'), Poolman (83')
Conversions: Kuenzle (2/2)
Penalties: Nil
Brumbies 24
Tries: Alaalatoa (6'), Toole (11'), Wright (61')
Conversions: Lolesio (2/2), Debreczeni (1/1)
Penalties: Lolesio (1/1)
Crowd: 5,206 @ HBF Park
