Buzzer-beater the cherry on top as fans welcome elite sport back to Wagga

Maisy Bradley was one of the first fans into Equex Centre for the Giants v Melbourne Vixen's pre-season game. Picture by Bernard Humphreys

Four minutes was all it took to sell out Wagga's biggest netball event of the year, and fans got their money's worth.

Packing into the sold our Equex Centre, netball fans were treated to a one-goal spectacle with hosts Giants holding on in the dying minutes to secure their second win of the weekend.

A hot and muggy stadium didn't get the crowd down, with the volume of their cheers only getting louder as the game wore on.

Mother and daughter duo Rachel and Matilda Brown were thrilled to see their beloved Giants in Wagga, more than halving their usual travel time.

The netball diehards drive to Sydney from Adelong for each Giants home game, sitting court-side and preparing to take on volunteer roles with the club this season.

They secured 10 tickets for Sunday's game, helping friends get into the stadium.

After starting to play netball when she was younger, Matilda said she fell head over heels for the game.

"When I was younger I started playing just for some sport and to make some friends, and I've loved it ever since," Matilda said.

"It's really easy to come today compared to Sydney."

Matilda and Rachel Brown and Ashyah McClenahan at the Giants pre-season game in Wagga. Picture by Tahlia Sinclair

Though thrilled to have the chance to watch any high-level netball in the Riverina, Rachel would love to see continued investment in regional areas.

An in-season game is the ultimate goal.

"We'd love it, especially in venues like this where you do have all the facilities that are needed," Rachel said.

"There's that saying, you can't be it if you can't see it, we got 10 tickets for kids as young as six and seven. For those young ones, it's really important, and they just wouldn't go to Sydney."

Next generation watching from the bleachers

Maisy Bradley hopes her family can make a tradition of watching the Giants play in Wagga each year.

After attending their first game against the Mavericks in 2024, she arrived nice and early to watch her favourite team take on the Vixens.

The nine-year-old from Coolamon has played with her local club, the Rovers, for four years.

Hopeful to follow in the footsteps of her favourite Giants players, Maisy wants to be a professional netball player when she grows up.

"My team has one of my best friends in it," Maisy said.

"My favourite position is either GA or centre. I want to be a netballer because I really like netball."

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So eager to be part of the big day, Maisy took on an additional game day duty, helping Amanda McLachlan and the Giants team run one of their pre-game activations.

Maisy was a gun at the reaction time game and helped other kids get their times up.

Sisters Izzy, Zoe, and Harper Richter travelled from Myrtleford for the game. Picture by Bernard Humprheys

Meanwhile in the mezzanine, teenager Izzy Richter watched the curtain raiser game with her family after travelling to Wagga from form Myrtleford, Victoria for the game.

She began following Super Netball when she was 10 years old, making the Vixens her team to match her mum.

Sunday's game was the first time she had seen them in person.

Watching with her parents and two sisters, the whole Richter family has gotten around the sport.

"I've never seen a game in real life before and I've always wanted to go to see one," Richter said.

"I like the environment of netball and playing with my friends. I also enjoy winning."

A talented wing, her team at Myrtleford Netball Club head into the 2025 season as back-to-back premiers.

Confident the Vixens will go well in the 2025 season, Richter is hoping her own team will also channel some winning energy.

Giants return on the cards

Giants executive general manager Tim Underwood was thrilled with a second successful pre-season weekend in the Riverina.

After finishing the 2024 season at the bottom of the Super Netball ladder, Underwood was pleased with the quality of netball the team put on the court.

"It's been awesome, we did it a bit differently to last year, went to Griffith first, Wagga second we had a dinner last night and all of the community came out and supported us," Underwood said.

"We couldn't be happier on court and off court."

Blown away with the four-minute sell out, Underwood was reassured that last year's novelty had not warn off.

With a ticket waiting list of close to 500, he said netball has been a sleeping giant that deserves to be woken.

"I've said all along, we're not a club just for Sydney and I think we've made a really strong connection down in the Riverina, and if things work out the same way, we'll be back," Underwood said.

Giants defeated Melbourne Vixens 71-70 at Wagga's Equex Centre.