The demoralising 41-27 loss to the Force in Queenstown on Saturday was the low point of the season, if not coach Glenn Moore's three-year reign.
Moore said he wanted to gel combinations over a period but, after 35 games in three seasons, with just nine wins, his side is going backwards rather than forwards.
Late on Saturday afternoon after the match, Moore looked as though he had just won the job as Michael Campbell's caddy.
At times on Saturday, his side was passionless, ill-disciplined, inaccurate, bumbling and downright dumb.
[comment caption=What is behind the Highlanders' poor form?]But is it all Moore's fault? Or do the players and the front office have to take equal responsibility for the Highlanders' collapse?It is probably a combination of all these things, but ultimately the problem lies on the field, and the fact is some of the players are not quite good enough.
Some of them are, but many of them aren't.
Moore and company can do as much as possible but the players just do not seem to have the ability on the field to win games.
Captain Jimmy Cowan said as such last week, and it rings true.
Last week, Tim Boys dropped the ball with the line open.
It might be unfair to pick on Boys, but if the Southland flanker was a better player he would have caught it.
Three weeks ago, Fetu'u Vainikolo was pushed out in the corner against the Sharks in an attempt to score a try to level the game.
He had the ball in the wrong hand, and should have slid into the corner.
If he was a better player, he would have scored.
And he should have scored again on Saturday.
There are plenty of other examples, but the players just do not seem to have that extra 10% of ability needed at this level to succeed.
They can cut it at the next level down, the provincial game because the opposition is not as good - but in the Super 14 their best is not up to the mark.
Moore talked about players getting experience as he rebuilt the side and Chris King was the latest Highlander to bring up 50 games.
The players may have appeared in plenty of games but most of those are losses.
They are experienced losers. That comes out in so many of those close defeats. They do not know how to win.
Winning breeds confidence, and that was sadly lacking in Queenstown on Saturday.
Another disadvantage for the Highlanders is their lack of a quality first five-eighth.
All the best teams over the years in this competition - the Blues, the Crusaders, the Brumbies and the Bulls - have had classy No 10s.
The Highlanders had Nick Evans but since he left, no-one has put their hand up.
Daniel Bowden was the great hope but he is now winging his way to England.
Of those who are here, Mathew Berquist is too slow, and Robbie Robinson, despite what everyone in Southland will try to tell you, is not up to the required level yet.
Michael Hobbs started all right but his form dipped and injury has not helped.
Other player injuries have hurt, with key lock Tom Donnelly out for more than half the season.
The loss of Israel Dagg on Saturday was a big blow, although Ben Smith is a talent at the back.
A struggling team like the Highlanders needs all of its artillery on the field all the time.
Issues for the Highlanders now include whether Moore should be dumped at the end of this season, and who would replace him if he was to go.
Moore is not a quitter. His contract runs to the end of next season, and it is hard to see him leaving of his own accord.
Sacking the coach in New Zealand rugby is a rarity, and arguably Moore has done his best with the talent he has been handed.
But drastic times may call for drastic action.
In a year where the big step was supposed to be taken, 11th or 12th place is not good enough.
These are urgent times for a slumping franchise, and other coaches have been sacked for performing better.
Southland coaches Simon Culhane and David Henderson shape as the obvious candidates to replace Moore - but would they want the job?
