The rampant ACT Brumbies have restored order and dealt the NSW Waratahs' finals hopes a hammer blow with a 40-17 Super Rugby Pacific statement win in the national capital.
In the shadows of parliament house, the benchmark Brumbies piled on three quickfire second-half tries to emulate Labor's landslide election victory on Saturday night and retain Australian rugby bragging rights in emphatic fashion.
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They had a 19-12 lead at the break before Billy Pollard and Corey Toole crossed for doubles.
Tom Wright was excellent at the back as they secured maximum points to keep in touch with the Crusaders and Chiefs.
Brumbies winger Corey Toole again showcased his claims for a Test call-up with another electrifying double while the code-crossing Suaalii was again enormous in a losing team.
Schmidt might also have to reconsider his omission of Waratahs No.8 Langi Gleeson from his pre-season Wallabies camp after another mighty display.
In the end, though, the Brumbies had too much class, consolidating third spot on the ladder to enhance their top-three finals hopes and a crucial home play-off after withstanding a spirited first-half fightback from the Tahs.
Stung by last week's home loss to the Hurricanes, the Brumbies came out firing, dominating the opening quarter and surprising the Waratahs with the first try from a lineout.
Instead of deploying their deadly driving maul, the Brumbies quickly shifted the ball left to Toole, who strolled over in acres of space.
A yellow card for a no-arms tackle from Jake Gordon on Rob Valetini compounded the Waratahs' woes, and the pair's Wallabies teammate Len Ikitau wasted no time cashing in on the one-man advantage with the Brumbies' second try.
Down 12-0 and camped in their own half, the Tahs needed inspiration and it came from Gleeson, who snapped up an intercept and raced away to put his team on the board in the 18th minute.
Suaalii locked the game up at 12-12 when he ran a hard line to storm over from a NSW lineout.
Suddenly it was game on until the Brumbies kicked clear with three more tries after the break to skipper Allan Alaalatoa, Pollard and Toole to blow the game open.
Wholehearted winger Andrew Kellaway crossed for a consolation try late for the Waratahs, who will need some serious soul searching to make the finals following a fifth straight loss away from home this campaign.
After orchestrating the Tahs' first win over the Brumbies since 2018 six weeks ago, coach Dan McKellar came crashing back to earth on his homecoming against his long-time former outfit in Canberra.
The Waratahs slipped to eighth on the ladder and desperately needing to beat the Queensland Reds in another Australian derby next Friday night to stay in the finals hunt.
Tries: Toole 2, Ikitau, Pollard 2, Alaalatoa
Cons: Lolesio 5/6
Tries: Gleeson, Suaalii, Kellaway
Cons: Creighton 1/3
BRUMBIES (1-15): James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Nick Frost, Tom Hooper, Rob Valetini, Rory Scott, Tuaina Taii Tualima, Ryan Lonergan, Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole, David Feliuai, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead, Tom Wright
Replacements: Lachlan Lonergan, Lington Ieli, Feao Fotuaika, Lachlan Shaw, Luke Reimer, Klayton Thorn, Declan Meredith, Ollie Sapsford
WARATAHS (1-15): Angus Bell, Ethan Dobbins, Daniel Botha, Hugh Sinclair (co-c), Ben Grant, Rob Leota, Jamie Adamson, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon (co-c), Lawson Creighton, Triston Reilly, Joey Walton, Lalakai Foketi, Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
Replacements: Mahe Vailanu, Tom Lambert, Taniela Tupou, Miles Amatosero, Leafi Talataina, Teddy Wilson, Tane Edmed, Henry O'Donnell
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Matt Kellahan, Graham Cooper
TMO: James Leckie
