With plenty of fresh faces taking to the court in Round One for both sides at Red Energy Arena in Bendigo, it was a frenetic and somewhat scrappy start to the contest, with the ball fizzing around at a breakneck pace
The GIANTS were able to hang in, though, with Sophie Dwyer and Letherbarrow shooting well to stay in touch at 12-12, however a Nelson sunk the first Suncorp Super Shot of the year in the dying seconds of the term, followed up with another goal from the centre pass, to hand the Mavericks a 15-12 lead at the break.
The Mavericks were able to open the contest up in the second as Price began to assert herself on the contest, proving a class above as she recorded eight feeds, five goal assists and 27 net points in the second quarter, helping her side out to an eight-goal advantage as the Super Shot buzzer sounded.
Some brilliant shooting from range would keep the GIANTS in it at the half, though, with two Super Shots to Letherbarrow and another to Dwyer cutting the margin to six at the main break, but it was the Mavericks that still led 30 to 24.
Whatever the message from new GIANTS mentor Nerida Stewart was at the break, it clearly had an effect, as the GIANTS immediately cut the margin back to just three in opening stages of the second half as Lucy Austin joined Dwyer inside the circle.
The GIANTS held all of the momentum, and continued to score at will, coming within a single shot to trail 34-35 with five minutes remaining in the third term, yet the Mavericks showed a steely resolve to weather the storm and wrest the contest back onto their terms.
Letherbarrow would make her third Super Shot of the contest to ensure the GIANTS won the term and cut the deficit to five goals at the final change, however the GIANTS still had work to do, trailing 38-43 heading into the fourth quarter.
Leading 59 to 46 following a fourth Super Shot to Palavi with three minutes remaining in the contest, the Mavericks looked to have sewn it up, yet a run of three straight Super Shots to Letherbarrow gave the GIANTS the faintest of sniffs as the clock dwindled down.
It proved too little, too late, as Palavi sealed the win for the Mavericks with a Super Shot, ensuring Parmenter’s milestone match, and coach Gerard Murphy’s first game at the helm, ended in success.
Jane Watson was valiant for the GIANTS in defeat, racking up a team-high 59.5 net points, while Dwyer proved accurate under the ring, shooting at over 92 per cent to make the most of the opportunities that cam her way.
The Mavericks will look to make it two from two to start the season when they travel to take on the Swifts away from home next Sunday, while the GIANTS will look to regroup in their first home game of the year against the reigning premiers in the Vixens.
