Only once have the SUNS beaten an opposition club four times in a row – fellow expansion club GWS in their first three years in 2012-13-14.

But with a rejuvenated West Coast travelling to the Gold Coast on the back of consecutive wins over a depleted Richmond by 39 points and arch rivals Fremantle by 37 points in Perth this would represent a bigger achievement.

The SUNS have an overall 5-1-10 record in 16 games against the Eagles but are 3-1-1 in five meetings at home, and have won the last three meetings by 27 points in Perth in 2022, and by three points at home and 70 points in Perth last year.

They’ve also won their last three games at home against the Eagles – in 2017, when it was 16^th-placed Gold Coast against 6^th-placed West Coast but the home side won by three points on a late goal from Peter Wright.

The 16-17 (113) to 6-7 (43) win at Perth Stadium in Round 9 last year was also extra special – it is the third-biggest in club history and the biggest away from home.

It was the Eagles’ seventh loss in a row in a losing streak that would reach 16 games.

Matt Rowell was best afield with 29 possessions, a goal, six clearances and an equal club record 17 tackles, while Noah Anderson picked up two medal votes for 27 possessions and eight clearances, and Ben King’s four goals earned him one vote.

Rowell also picked up three medal votes in the Round 1 win over West Coast in Perth in 2022 with an equal career-best 33 possessions, and in just five games against West Coast has almost twice as many medal votes against them as any other SUNS player. Touk Miller has five.

A simple glance at the Eagles form guide will identify Elliot Yeo as dangerman No.1.

Yeo was best afield for West Coast against Gold Coast in Perth in 2018-19, and after completing his first uninterrupted pre-season in seven years is back to his very best this year.

He leads his team in possessions (average 26.2 possessions), contested possessions and clearances, and is a close second in tackles.

And with each team finally having played the same number of games, Yeo is third in voting for the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year award with 25 votes – equal with Melbourne’s Christian Petracca (25) and behind only Essendon’s Zach Merrett (27) and Sydney’s runaway leader Isaac Heeney (47).

Liam Duggan, captaining the Eagles solo in the absence of injured co-captain Oscar Allen, has averaged 23.3 possessions and with  Tim Kelly (22.8) and Jeremy McGovern (21.7) has been among the Eagles’ major ball-winners.

Jake Waterman has been a surprise packet up forward in the absence of Allen, and after kicking 79 goals in 84 games prior to this year has 18 goals in six games this year – including six and five in the last two games.

It won’t escape Damien Hardwick’s attention, too, that the two Eagles players who have done most damage against the SUNS in the past are missing, with retired pair Josh Kennedy and Matt Priddis having each polled 11 medal votes in head-to-head meetings.

In 12 games against the SUNS Kennedy kicked 47 goals – 25% of the club’s total against the SUNS in 16 games – including bags of 4-4-5-5-5-7-8. Priddis have a club-high five 30-possession games against the SUNS in eight meetings.