The Otago Spirit finished two steps short of their goal this year.
They were beaten in the Farah Palmer Cup Championship final last season but failed to make it that far again as they were beaten 29-19 by the Northland Kauri in the semifinal in Whangarei on Saturday night.
It was a deflating end to another bid to get out of the second tier of the competition but at least the Spirit did not go down without a fight.
They looked particularly enterprising with the ball in hand and scored a couple of cracking tries.
If only the Kauri had not utilised all their physicality and set-piece muscle to squeeze the life out of the Spirit.
Kauri were aggressive in the lineout and smashed into the collisions with furious intensity, and that seemed to rock the visitors at times.
Example A came just three minutes into the game when the Kauri had a lineout from a handy attacking position.
Big bodies hurtled past the gainline and imposing No 8 Hikitia Wikaira was unstoppable.
There were more worrying signs just eight minutes later as the Spirit were guilty of some weak tackling, and Kauri winger Ocean Tierney cut off her left foot to score.
Playoff rugby can change quickly, and the Spirit got back into the game within minutes.
Northland had possession but the ball popped loose, and Otago midfielder Oceana Campbell scooped it up and dashed 40m to score.
It was game on but Northland regained control, again from a set piece as burly hooker Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate charged over.
Maia Joseph gave the Spirit hope again when she crossed just six minutes into the second half. That was a false dawn, however.
After prop Krystal Murray showed her goal-kicking chops with a penalty, another Kauri lineout was followed by another Ngata-Aerengamate try.
Murray stepped up again, showing a lovely touch with the boot to guide the conversion over from out wide.
The Spirit had the final say — and it was some way to end the season.
Cheyenne Cunningham burst into space and beat three tacklers before finding Jamie Church for a lovely try.
Close but not close enough again for the Spirit, who will reflect on a decent season but not one destined for the record books.
Northland will meet Manawatu in the Farah Palmer Championship semifinal after the Cyclones smashed Tasman 73-10.
In the Premiership semifinals, Auckland beat Waikato 29-22, and Canterbury beat Hawke’s Bay 59-29.
Farah Palmer Cup semifinal
The scores
Northland Kauri 29
Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate 2, Hikitia Wikaira, Ocean Tierney tries; Pohutakawa Kakara 2 con, Krystal Murray con, pen.
Otago Spirit 19
Oceana Campbell, Maia Joseph, Jamie Church tries; Georgia Cormick con, Maia Joseph con.
Halftime: Northland 19-5.
