Where and when: Metricon Stadium, Sunday, July 31, 1.10pm (11.10am AWST)

TV: Live on Ch7 in WA, Fox Footy, Kayo and the AFL Live Official app.

Last time we met: West Coast 12.8 (80) def. Gold Coast 16.11 (107) at Optus Stadium, round one, 2022

An undermanned Eagles side missing about half of the best 22 went down fighting against Gold Coast in West Coast’s first loss to the Suns in Perth from 10 contests. Experienced midfield duo Andrew Gaff (32 disposals) and Jack Redden (28) stood tall, while Willie Rioli showed the class fans had sorely missed in two-and-a-half years on the sidelines. Star full-back Tom Barrass kicked his first career goal and was mobbed in his 100^th career game, while Jamaine Jones impressed after a strong summer with two goals and 21 disposals.

What it means for the Eagles: Adam Simpson’s men have been competitive without getting much reward in the ‘W’ column since the bye and know that their best football is good enough to match it with a finals contender like the Suns. Putting together a consistent effort across four quarters has been a challenge, but Sunday’s trip to Metricon Stadium is another opportunity to take a step in the right direction, trial some players in different positions and look for more ‘little wins’ amongst the emerging next generation of Eagles.

The stat: The Eagles haven’t beaten Gold Coast at Metricon since a 52-point win in round 23, 2014. There was a draw in 2015, followed by three and 44-point defeats since.

The match-up: Nic Naitanui v Jarrod Witts

Naitanui is set to return from two weeks on the sidelines recovering from knee soreness for a monster clash against commanding Suns skipper Witts. The Eagles have lost the the inside 50 count in the past three games but Naitanui’s comeback is a boost to the team’s hopes of winning the pivotal territory battle, which can be especially important in the often slippery conditions at Metricon Stadium.

It’s a big week for: Andrew Gaff

Only 10 other Eagles have reached the 250-game milestone for the club and few faster than the durable wingman. A model of consistency and John Worsfold medallist in 2015, the 30-year-old would appear to have plenty of football left in him and appears all-but certain to follow in Shannon Hurn’s footsteps as a 300-game player, but first he will be hoping for an against-the-odds victory over the Suns on Sunday.

Big call: Tim Kelly to bounce back from a quiet match against St Kilda with 30 disposals and two goals. 

A brave West Coast Eagles outfit suffered a heart-breaking three-point loss to the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium.

With a number of momentum swings throughout the contest, it was the Suns who endured in a tense final few minutes – eventually winning 16.11 (107) to 16.8 (104).

When the Eagles edged to within two points with 38 seconds on the clock after Jake Waterman converted a set shot, it would come down to the centre clearance.

Star ruckman Nic Naitanui won the hit out, but the Suns were ready for the ball being knocked in the direction of the Eagles attacking goal. They swept the ball forward and young Suns forward Malcolm Rosas sealed the issue with a clever snap.

There was still time for another bounce and clearance, with Tim Kelly winning the ball out of the middle and Jamaine Jones slotting the goal on the siren, leaving the Eagles an agonising three points short of victory.

Again the Eagles performance was punctuated by the efforts of its veterans with midfielders Andrew Gaff, Luke Shuey and Kelly providing drive through the cauldron while Tom Barrass and Shannon Hurn were brilliant down back and Jack Darling was a focal point up forward, kicking six goals.

In games as tight as this one, it comes down to a few breaks at the end, but the Eagles made it tough for themselves with a spasmodic first half.

The Suns did the damage before the main break, particularly late in the opening term and the first half of the second quarter when their slick ball movement and energy around the ball left the Eagles perplexed and flat-footed.

During that time the Suns opened up a 37-point advantage before the Eagles responded.

A late goal from Liam Ryan late in the second quarter and two each in the third term from Jack Peruccelle and Darling saw the Eagles edge to within 13 points.

At that stage the Eagles’ ball movement and the energy levels were at their highest and they sustained it to the end as they built momentum and looked capable of securing four precious premiership points.

Gaff, in his 250^th game, was a prolific ball-winner and in conjunction with Shuey and Kelly, who was involved in an engrossing battle with Matt Rowell, they remained in the game.

A couple of late goals to the Suns through Mabior Chol, the last of them on the siren, saw the Suns enjoy a 25-point margin at the three-quarter time break. Chol was a constant menace up forward with five goals while captain Touk Miller was highly influential through the middle.

While the Eagles refused to yield, they ran out of time, leaving themselves too much to do in the second half.

Gold Coast Suns              5.1         10.5       13.8       16.11    107
West Coast Eagles           2.4           5.5         9.7       16.8      104
Goals – Gold Coast Suns: Chol 5; Rankine 3; Rosas, Sharp 2; Casboult, Ainsworth, Anderson, Holman. West Coast Eagles: Darling 6; Petruccelle 3; Ryan, Redden 2; Cripps, Waterman, Jones.
Best – Gold Coast Suns: Miller, Chol, Anderson, Rankine, Rowell, Swallow. West Coast Eagles: Darling, Barrass, Kelly, Hurn, Shuey, Naitanui, Petruccelle.
Injuries – Jai Culley (hamstring) replaced by Hugh Dixon in the last quarter.