With a blowout on the cards, it was the substitution of Annie Miller with ten minutes left which drew the biggest cheer of the night from the packed PCYC crowd.
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The Orange product had watched from the bench for most of the game as her Giants Netball teammates grew an insurmountable lead against the Adelaide Thunderbirds in their Suncorp Super Netball pre-season match.
But as she ran onto the court to take her spot at wing attack, the crowd erupted.
"I was actually so nervous I couldn't even comprehend what I was doing and my hands are still shaking," she said after the match.
"But it was so nice to have the support of my home crowd and all my friends and family that have come.
"It's all a bit of a blur because I was so nervous, but I think I did alright.
"I had a good couple of feeds into Jo (Harten) and Soph (Dwyer). There are still things to work on coming off the centre pass and I'm in a great spot to learn all that."
The Giants went up 2-1 with two minutes off the clock, and from that point on, never trailed as they eventually won 78-47.
The Giants' trip to Orange comprised of more than just a one-off game however. Saturday morning the squad took part in a training session with some of the city's junior players.
"I feel like previously regional towns didn't get this opportunity," Miller said.
"It's amazing that teams like the Giants can come out and support our pathways girls outside of Sydney and I know I didn't get that opportunity growing up and that's a real testament to Mardi Applin, so it's really important that we do things like this."
Miller added that Saturday was "the best day of my life."
"Giving back to Orange netball who have helped me for so many years was really nice to do and be around familiar faces," she said.
"(This year) I'd love to get some game time in the SSN comp but of course I want to keep grinding it out in training and getting better and hopefully if I keep doing that, it's all up from there."