Mid Western signalled their intentions for next week's semifinals loud and clear with a 12-66 drubbing over Old Boys at Toll Stadium.
With 16 wins to their credit and just one draw and one loss, Mid Western topped the Southern Districts Premiers standings after they won their final round robin match
against Old Boys in the curtain raiser to the ITM Cup thriller between Northland and Otago.
Ahead 0-40 at the break, the Mid Western backline danced around the Old Boys fatigued defence to dot in a couple more tries, with Old Boys bringing some respectability to the score margin with a second half penalty try and a late charge over the chalk.
Old Boys avoided the cellar - finishing ninth - and left that spot to Otamatea who had a testing final game against the third placed Mid Northern side. Mid Northern were also on a mission on Saturday, beating their hosts at Kaiwaka, 7-66.
Unlucky to miss out on making the semis for a second consecutive year, Western Sharks finished in fifth spot after defeating Wellsford at Centennial Park, 7-45, while Wellsford ended their season in seventh.
Kamo, in fourth, had an exciting match up with Hikurangi, who threw all they had at the semifinalists, and drew the game 34-34.
Hora Hora claimed the other finals berth, defeating Marist 47-32 at Toll Stadium on Wednesday night.
Their mid-week win earned them second spot in the standings, pipping Mid Northern by two points.
While Saturday's final round wrapped up the season for the majority, the top four teams head into semifinals mode this weekend, with the top two sides earning home semis.
Mid Western host Kamo at Maungakaramea, and Hora Hora host Mid Northern.
