Hunter Rugby Union, 2022: Outgoing coach Dan Beckett urges Wanderers' senior men to play on after horror show in preliminary final

But the premiership-winning mentor hopes it is not a similar case for a number of the Two Blues' senior players.

Wanderers saved their worst for last, fumbling and bumbling their way to a 59-24 defeat against fierce rivals Hamilton in the preliminary final at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday.

Beckett informed the playing group at the start of the campaign that his third season at the helm would be his last.

"I love being part of the club and I love coaching, but it's time," Beckett said. "We joked about it being the last dance for a lot of us."

Captain Ben Ham, fly-half Luke Simmons, who missed the finals with a torn pec, Dillon Rowney, Cal McDonald and Marcus Christensen are thirty-plus.

"I'd like to think some of the older guys will go around again because they are still so good," Beckett said.

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Beckett was at a loss to explain the Two Blues' horror performance on Saturday.

They knocked the ball on nine times in the first half, lost three lineouts with the throw and lacked intensity.

'We were up against a good team - we are a good team - but we were so poor," Beckett said.

"Seven days ago [in the minor semi-final win] we applied pressure and kept the pressure on. Today we applied no pressure to a very good team. And they hurt us. It's just unfortunate that we were so rubbish on the biggest day."

The Two Blues' frustrations bubbled to the surface in the second half and resulted in four yellow cards.

"We were so bad," Beckett said. "A lot of what we have done this year has been on emotion and I was worried how the guys would handle it. They weren't dirty, they were just disappointed and frustrated."