He’s a West Australian who grew up supporting Essendon, but there was no way GC SUNS dynamo Harley Bennell was going anywhere but the Gold Coast when settling on his immediate football future.

Bennell committed himself to the SUNS until the end of the 2017 season this week, and despite talk he may choose to return home, the 22-year-old said he never entertained leaving Metricon Stadium.

“I always wanted to come home, just to see my family and that, but I never thought about coming home to play football,” Bennell said.

“I just let my manager take care of that stuff (interest from other clubs). I’m just happy to stay at the Gold Coast.

“We’ve got a good bunch of boys. If we stick together, we’ll start winning some more games.

Bennell – who yesterday visited Greenfields Primary School, which he attended in his younger year - reserved special thanks for fellow West Australians David Swallow and Brandon Matera, as well as Karmichael Hunt who helped him through a difficult patch in his early days on the Glitter Strip.

“Dave and Brandon went over a year before everyone. They took me under their wing and showed me around the Gold Coast and helped me out a lot.

“K and Emma Hunt took me under their wing in 2012, or late 2011; played a huge role in my football career, so I thank them very much.”