It was a chance to ruin their opponent's minor premiership hopes but that meant little to a Queanbeyan Tigers outfit already brimming with inspiration.
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All they needed was the black tape wrapped around their left arms in memory of beloved volunteer Lisa Bush after she lost a nine-year battle with cancer, the scores of club legends on hand for the 1988 and 1998 premiership reunions, and the desire to make Brett Fruend's 200th game one to remember.
The Belconnen Magpies lost their grip on the AFL Canberra minor premiership with a 44-point loss to the Tigers in the final round at Margaret Donoghoe Oval on Saturday.
Queanbeyan's 12.18 (90) to 6.10 (46) win means every top four side has beaten each other this season, which has left Tigers coach Dave Corcoran believing the premiership is there for the taking.
Belconnen's James Bennett says they're "all chasing Ainslie" after the Tricolours snuck away with the minor premiership.
But Corcoran says it wasn't as lopsided as the scoreboard suggests given Belconnen were without James Bennett (knee), Lexie Bennett (hamstring) and Sam Fisher (hamstring) for most of the game.
"I guess us beating Belconnen was the last piece in that puzzle where everyone in the top four has now beaten each other. In terms of a league, it’s fantastic that the top four is as even as it is at this point in the season," Corcoran said.
"It was a really mature performance from our guys, we had 22 contributors and we had the skinny blokes putting their bodies on the line on a greasy day."
James Bennett says he and his brother would have returned to the field if it was a final but they stayed off to ensure they would be "cherry ripe" for next week, while Fisher will be examined on Monday.
Still, the injuries did little to gloss over what was an uninspired performance from the Magpies.
"We played Queanbeyan in the last game last year and we got done by 80 points, and we only got done by 50 points today so it was an improvement on last year at least," Bennett said.
"On the whole it was a pretty disappointing effort from us. We had a 15-minute patch in the first quarter where we played some fantastic footy, and then for the rest of the game we didn’t get up to the level we know we can play at.
"Queanbeyan really challenged us there and we just didn’t respond. It’s something we know we’re going to have to be better at when we’re challenged in the next few weeks. The guys are going to have to rise up to that and enjoy it, and play our best footy.
"We’re probably all chasing Ainslie at this point but on any given day anyone can knock anyone off, so that’s a really exciting finals series
to go into."
Ainslie's last ditch bid for the minor premiership came up trumps after the Tricolours posted a resounding 136-point win over the Gungahlin Jets at Alan Ray Oval.
The 24.22 (166) to 4.6 (30) loss means Gungahlin finished the year with just three wins, which is still a marked improvement on where they found themselves 12 months ago - winless and wooden spooners.
Instead the Tuggeranong Hawks have found themselves in that unenviable position following their 105-point defeat at the hands of the Eastlake Demons at Greenway Oval.
The Hawks have finished winless this season while the Demons find themselves preparing for a minor semi-final showdown against the Queanbeyan Tigers at Margaret Donoghoe Oval next Sunday.
Ainslie will continue their hunt for a third consecutive premiership when they meet Belconnen in the major semi-final at Alan Ray Oval on Saturday.
AT A GLANCE
AFL Canberra round 15 -
QUEANBEYAN 1.3 7.8 11.10 12.18 (90)
BELCONNEN 3.1 6.1 6.7 6.10 (47)
AINSLIE 5.7 16.10 22.14 24.22 (166)
GUNGAHLIN 0.1 1.1 3.4 4.6 (30)
TUGGERANONG 2.2 3.2 4.2 5.2 (32)
EASTLAKE 3.4 8.8 13.12 20.17 (137)
AFL CANBERRA SEMI-FINALS
Saturday: Major semi-final - Ainslie Tricolours v Belconnen Magpies at Alan Ray Oval, 1.30pm.
Sunday: Minor semi-final - Queanbeyan Tigers v Eastlake Demons at Margaret Donoghoe Oval, 1.30pm.
