With the retirement of Darren Glass, West Coast started a half-season audition of captaincy candidates on Saturday. First cab off the rank was vice-captain Josh Kennedy who got his screen test off to a magnificent start with a mark and long goal within the first five minutes of the game. By half-time he had five majors and lived up to his star billing with seven goals and a narrow victory.

Five Suns were returning home to WA for Saturday's game – David Swallow, Brandon Matera, Greg Broughton, Harley Bennell and Jaeger O'Meara. Some of them came over early, on Wednesday, to reconnect with family and friends and Matera was quick to show off to them with two first-quarter goals. The Suns' WA midfield struggled in the opening half but finished strongly as the Suns charged back. Bennell's last term in particular was fabulous, coming days after he signed a contract extension.

In his 100th AFL match Nic Naitanui was without his long-time ruck mate and mentor, the injured Dean Cox, for the first time since 2009. But Naitanui showed no signs of missing him. Probably the most influential player on the ground, he produced some magic moments to go with a solid ruck display against Zac Smith.

Gold Coast was 39 points behind early in the third term and still down by 35 at the last change before clicking into gear. But once they got going they were unstoppable. All the gun Suns lifted with Gary Ablett, Bennell, O'Meara and Swallow joining Dion Prestia, who had been superb all day. They slammed on six unanswered goals to grab the lead 19 minutes into the final term. However, Jeremy McGovern's late snap stole the match back. Ablett had a checkside snap from the boundary with 1:41 left and the Suns four points down - but it hit the post.

We didn't see this ourselves but a member of the fourth estate in the press box insists he was delayed in getting into Patersons Stadium by a man trying to bring his spearfishing gun into the ground. Apparently he had come straight from a fishing trip and didn't want to leave it in his car for fear it would be stolen!