Co-captains and battle-hardened veterans Jo Harten and Jamie-Lee Price have led by example as the Giants picked up their first Super Netball away win of the season with a 66-59 victory over the Melbourne Mavericks.
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The Giants never trailed at John Cain Arena in Melbourne, and won all four quarters as the Mavericks wait continued for a first home win.
The Giants had not won a first or third quarter in any of their six previous games, but they held firm whenever the Mavericks threatened.
The hosts never trailed by more than six, but were unable to get the deficit below two in the final quarter.
The Giants joined the Mavericks on 2-5 for the season, but the Victorian team held on to sixth spot on percentage, with both sides a win outside the top four at the halfway stage of the season.
Diamonds midcourter Price - in the news for the wrong reasons last week when she was sent off - got through a mountain of work, tallying nine pickups, 26 feeds and 11 goal assists.
English shooter Harten shot 33 from 39 and in the first quarter racked up her 3000th Super Netball goal.
The Giants were boosted by the return of wing attack Maddie Hay, who played her first game of the season following a hip operation.
Hay added fluency to the Giants attack, leading her team with 18 goal assist and 35 feeds.
"We are always going to appreciate a win when we've had such a tough start to the year," Price told Fox.
"We had a really good strong four quarters and it just goes to show that we can play netball.
"We just want to win and we want to enjoy netball. That really showed today."
The Giants won each of the first two quarters by two, and the third by one, as they led by five going into the final period.
The Mavericks recovered to within two goals inside the last four minutes but were unable to close the gap, despite a strong and reliable performance inside the circle from shooter Shimona Jok (40/42).
Australian Associated Press
