As little as two months ago, McKenna added his belief that with so much young talent around the same age, they would be the pre-eminent rivalry in the AFL over the next decade.
"Clearly with the two expansion clubs there's Rory Thompson versus Jeremy Cameron … (Jonathon) Patton and (Steven) May, and the list goes on," he said.
"Instead of one or two (great player v player match-ups) in a rivalry like Hawthorn and Geelong, we'll probably have 10 to 12 over the course of the next 10 years," he said.
Comparing the teams is an inexact science, with the different list builds, draft concessions and player development.
But based on pure figures through 54 games – the total GWS has currently played – the Suns are streets ahead, although the Giants are doing it with a much younger list.
At the same stage, Gold Coast had more wins (10 compared to 5), had won many more quarters (67-43) and enjoyed a vastly better percentage (63.95-52.34).
The Giants have the bigger scalp, with this year's remarkable round one upset of the Sydney Swans, but the Suns' 2012 defeat of Carlton should not be forgotten – it led to the sacking of Blues coach Brett Ratten.
Both teams have copped hidings, with the Giants enduring 11 by 100 points or more, compared to the Suns' four.
But while the stats favour the Suns – and there is the asterisk of having Gary Ablett in the mix – age favours the boys from western Sydney.
At the start of this season GWS had an average age of 20 years and 324 days, which remarkably is actually younger than the average of its first two seasons.
At the start of their third season, the Suns' average age was 22 years and 219 days.
So should the Giants be afforded an extra year or two of maturity with the youth of their list?
The debate will rage until one holds the Premiership Cup aloft, but for the time being, the Suns are shining brighter.
"I think there's always going to be those natural comparisons," GWS co-captain Phil Davis said.
"Our list builds have been slightly different, and they also have a guy called Gary Ablett, who goes all right.
"They've had a terrific year this year and last year they were very good.
"But we played the Swans in round one, with a full-strength side, and were able to knock off a team that made the final four last year.
"We've definitely got some things going the right way."
