Tears among the Rebels players have signalled the end for Melbourne, whose place in Super Rugby Pacific was brought to a close by a quarter-final loss to the Hurricanes.
The Rebels were given almost no chance of upsetting the table-topping Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday, but held them to an eight-point margin at halftime on the back of some desperate defence.
That took its toll, with the home side piling on five second-half tries to post a 47-20 victory.
Rebels winger Lachie Anderson scored a late double but the Hurricanes remained on track for the semi-finals.
With the financially stricken club given news of their axing by Rugby Australia two weeks ago, the brave loss left the Rebels to bow out in their first ever final after 14 years in the competition.
Young lock Josh Canham - a born-and-bred Victorian - and playmaker Carter Gordon were among the Melbourne players in tears while fans who had made the trip to Wellington also looked bereft in the stands.
Former skipper Brad Wilkin, who has spent five years with the side, struggled not to cry in a post-match interview.
"It's a sad time, just the realisation that the club's over," he told Stan Sport, with his voice wavering.
"A lot of guys, a lot of people, have invested a lot into this club, a lot of hard work has gone into it and I can't be more proud of the group staying together this season."
Melbourne threw everything at the Hurricanes early on, and unsettled the home side with their rushing defence.
They became the first team this season to stop the Hurricanes scoring a try in the opening 20 minutes, twice holding the home side up over the line.
But the Rebels' 3-0 lead evaporated four minutes later when prop Pasilio Tosi barrelled over.
Another Rebels penalty closed the gap to 7-6, but Gordon twice failed to find touch with clearing kicks and the Hurricanes went into halftime up 14-6 after centre Joshua Moorby found a hole to score in the 39th minute.
The Wellington men struck first in the second half, with All Blacks centre Jordie Barrett slipping out of a Rob Leota tackle before finding No.8 Brayden Iose.
Two more tries within three minutes meant there was a mountain to climb for the Rebels, with the lead out to 35-6 after 57 minutes.
Anderson finally opened Melbourne's try-scoring account in the 65th minute and was in again two minutes later after a charging run by reserve back-rower Vaiolini Ekuasi.
Two late Hurricanes tries, scored by reserves Du'Plessis Kirifi and Kini Naholo, meant the scoreline blew out as the Hurricanes underlined their claims as favourites for the title.
Rebels captain Leota, who made his debut for the club in 2016, said he was proud of the way his team stuck together with the axe hanging over Melbourne since January.
"It was our goal from the start of the year to be the greatest ever Rebels team, to make the finals," the No.8, who grew up in Melbourne, said.
"We're not satisfied with losing but when you give a quality opposition like the Hurricanes opportunities, it's hard to come back.
"We're really proud of that first half but you've got to do it for 80 minutes and the Canes did that."
