Frontbench firepower joined the front line on the final day of campaigning in the Canning by-election, as the strain of weeks on the hustings began to show in the Labor and Liberal candidates.
The by-election, triggered by the sudden death of sitting Liberal MP Don Randall in July, was immediately billed as a litmus test of Tony Abbott's performance and was accordingly tied to his future.
But with his dramatic ousting kicking off the final week of campaigning, the poll was then considered a measure of Malcolm Turnbull's appeal in the nation's top job.
After polling showed his accession had gone down well with voters, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten dismissed suggestions the leadership change had secured victory for Liberal candidate Andrew Hastie.
"Anyone who replaced Tony Abbott was going to get an improvement in their position," Mr Shorten said at a news conference with Labor candidate Matt Keogh.
"I believe that this by-election will not be decided until 6pm Saturday night."
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was confident of a win by Mr Hastie, saying she expected "a great outcome for not only the people of Canning but the people of Australia".
Labor, which had said from the start that closing Mr Randall's 12 per cent margin would be a tough call, appeared to be managing expectations as polling day drew closer.
Member for Perth Alannah MacTiernan said mid-week Mr Keogh had "already achieved a great deal ... he's unseated a prime minister".
That sentiment was echoed by Mr Shorten on Friday.
But Mr Keogh briefly slipped, telling 6PR he would "like to continue to serve and look at potentially running again for the national parliament so that I can advocate on behalf of Western Australia".
Political analysts say the loser of Saturday's by-election will be in a prime position to win the seat of Burt, which will take in parts of Canning and Hasluck, and apply from the next federal election.
Mr Keogh denied approaching the poll as a dry run, saying: "I've been running in this campaign to win."
Mr Hastie also had a shaky moment after reporters badgered the former SAS captain about his comments that he did not feel enough support from the then-Labor government when he served in Afghanistan.
Mr Keogh shot back, labelling the twice-uttered comment "very offensive".
Mr Shorten said he too was offended, because "there's been a great tradition in this country that Liberal and Labor together support our defence forces".
"The political debate shouldn't be used as some sort of football where we see the ADF dragged into it," he said.
"I really think they were very unwise comments."
Last minute slip-ups aside, the intensive local campaigning by the two candidates was in the spirit of Mr Randall, who was dubbed the king of doorknocking and was said to have met just about everyone in the electorate.
Those are big shoes to fill.
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