Giants overwhelmed by support as they hit Wagga for Super Netball trial

A sold out Equex Stadium in Wagga awaits the Giants and Mavericks for the city's first Super Netball trial match on Friday night.

The Giants arrived in Wagga on Thursday with captain Jo Harten and Australian Diamonds star Jamie-Lee Price joining Fitzgerald in braving the extreme heat at a coaching clinic at Wagga Netball Centre.

Fitzgerald, a four-time title-winning coach at the Swifts before joining the Giants, was thrilled to hear that the trial game in Wagga sold out in a matter of minutes.

"It's fantastic. We were thrilled when we heard that," Fitzgerald said.

"It's nice to know that we're welcome here and people want to watch us play.

"I'm really excited. I love being able to come out to the regions.

"Wagga is one we've tried to come to for a couple of years and we went to Griffith last year for the opening of their stadium so to be able to go back to Griffith and play will be great, as well as Wagga."

The Giants finished last year's Super Netball season in sixth place with five wins from their 14 games.

They are desperate to improve this year and started their campaign on the right note with a 68-59 trial game win over Queensland Firebirds last week.

Fitzgerald is keen to keep that improvement going against the all-new Mavericks in Wagga on Friday night, and again in Griffith on Sunday.

"We're obviously in very early stages and we've got quite a few new players and we're changing the way we play a little bit so we're working on combinations as everyone is but I'm happy with the progress that we've made so far and I'm really excited to see if they can keep going," Fitzgerald said.

"I'll make no bones about the fact we're certainly hoping to do better than last year. We were disappointed with last year, we were disappointed with where we finished on the table and a lot of things that we let slip. We're obviously looking to improve on that this year."

With the Mavericks the new team on the block, Fitzgerald imagines they will be using Wagga as a valuable team-building exercise.

"I think they'll very much be building on their combinations, obviously they're a new team and they'll be really working to nail the understanding between each of their players," she said.

Fitzgerald also loved getting amongst the Wagga juniors at Thursday's coaching clinic and imparting some knowledge on the next generation.

"I love it. It reminds you what it's all about," she said.

"These kids are off to state and state age and just such an exciting time for kids in their age."

Friday night at Equex Stadium

5pm: Riverina v Farrer exhibition match

6.45pm: Giants v Mavericks

Sunday at Griffith Regional Sports Centre

Midday: Giants v Mavericks