Wellington were only playing for pride, but Parkes had a slim chance of stealing third spot from arch-rivals Forbes with a big win.

They were two points behind heading into the round and needed a lot to go their way to make it happen, but Forbes got a victory against Dubbo CYMS, locking up third place in the process.

Parkes led Wellington 24-4 at half-time and continued their assault in the second half, although the home side showed plenty of pride to keep fighting until the end.

For the Cowboys, a difficult season has come to an end that included some heavy scorelines but also some committed performance. Despite the turmoil, captain-coach Aidan Ryan is optimistic about the future.

He has focused on improving the culture and let go of some players who he felt didn’t fit in with the vision he has.