It may seem reckless to rest key players for a tie that could have gained a seemingly easier playoff fixture, but soccer coach Chris Greatholder has the bigger picture in his sights.
A win against Team Wellington in the capital on Saturday could have pitched Kinetic Electrical Hawke's Bay United in with Auckland City, rather than the impervious Waitakere United, who had blown away all opposition this season with a ruthlessness seldom seen in ASB Premiership soccer until yesterday.
The Keith Braithwaite-coached Canterbury United ended Waitakere's 16-match unbeaten streak yesterday with a 3-2 win in Whenuapai so it would have hardly mattered if the Bay had won on Saturday.
Auckland, well, they've drawn with Bay twice this season and have struggled to dominate their nearest rivals.
However, the Bay looked like a team with nothing to play for, as they fell three goals behind after just 35 minutes at David Farrington Park, eventually losing 4-2.