North Melbourne looks set to surrender fourth place on the AFL ladder and, with it, the double chance in the 2008 finals following its insipid 76-point capitulation to Port Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday.
Having watched the Magpies blow their own top-four prospects with a final-round loss to a lesser opponent on Friday night, the Kangaroos had their fate in their own hands against 14th-placed Port, and fully appreciated what was at stake in veteran Shannon Grant's milestone 300th AFL match.
But they failed dismally to live up to their billing as one of the form sides of comp against the Power who finished an otherwise disastrous season on a high with the 23.10 (148) to 10.12 (72) thumping.
North went into Round 22 holding down fourth spot with a two-point break over Collingwood, Adelaide and St Kilda, with Sydney another two points further back.
While the Pies squandered their opportunity, it's too much to expect that the Crows, Swans and Saints - who take on a desperately undermanned Essendon at Telstra Dome on Sunday - will all follow suit.
The Kangaroos were a pale imitation of the side that won six straight before last week's loss to flag favourites Geelong.
They were static, slow and short of options up forward where David Hale played a lone hand with four goals to back-up last week's bag of eight.
Brent Harvey had 27 disposals for North but spent much of the day running in circles and away from goal.
Most of Peter Burgoyne's 45 touches for the winners, in contrast, were highly effective, whether from clearances, rebounding from defence or setting up inside-50.
The contest looked every bit top-four versus bottom-four when North had three majors on the board before Peter Burgoyne was able to capitalise on a poor clearance from Shannon Watt to bring up Port's first.
North wouldn't have been overly concerned when a couple of goals in time-on from Robbie Gray brought the Power to within a kick at the first change.
But when Port was still in touch mid-way through the second term, the challenge for North was to cut the posturing and to start delivering.
Instead, they hoisted the white flag.
Port slotted the last four goals of the second term to open up an 18-point break and despite conceding the first and last goals of the third quarter - both to Hale - the visitors managed eight-straight in between.
Stand-in skipper Shaun Burgoyne was outstanding during this spell as a creative half-back, while the finishing of David Rodan and Daniel Motlop was simply devastating.
Port finished with a flourish, adding five final-term goals to North's one.
NORTH MELBOURNE: 4.3, 7.5, 9.10, 10.12 (72)
PORT ADELAIDE: 3.4, 10.5, 18.8, 23.10 (148)
GOALS: North Melbourne: Hale 4, Grant 2, Jones, Campbell, Pratt, Harding
Port Adelaide: Rodan 5, Gray 3, D.Motlop 3, Thurstans 3, Cassisi 2, P.Burgoyne, Pearce, Stewart, Lade, Logan, M.Motlop, S.Burgoyne
BEST: North Melbourne: Harvey, Hale, McMahon, Petrie, Rawlings
Port Adelaide: Rodan, P.Burgoyne, Cassisi, Pearce, S.Burgoyne, D.Motlop
INJURIES: North Melbourne: Leigh Harding (left knee - medial ligament)
Port Adelaide: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nathan Lonie replaced Travis Boak in Port Adelaide's selected side
UMPIRES: Farmer, Schmitt, Mollison
CROWD: 22,144 at the MCG
Sportal AFL Player of the Year votes:
3. David Rodan (Port Adelaide)
2. Peter Burgoyne (Port Adelaide)
1. Dom Cassisi (Port Adelaide)