The GIANTS’ Reserves side will have their first crack at a competitive practice match on Saturday when they play a Canberra composite side at Tom Wills Oval.

Formerly known as the University of Western Sydney GIANTS, the newly re-branded team will enter the 2016 season as the Western Sydney University GIANTS (WSU GIANTS).

NEALF Coach Brad Miller will be taking the reigns for the first time since joining the GIANTS last October.

Miller said he was looking forward to a solid hit-out after a long pre-season on the track.

“Pre-season is a bit like dancing with your sister, I think all the boys are just itching for the real stuff to start,” Miller said.

“A few of the boys who didn’t get an opportunity last week in the first NAB Challenge game are jumping out of their skin to have a proper run.

“We’re expecting a solid game against a strong outfit made up of big-bodied players from the NEAFL.

“Blokes like Matt Kennedy and Jacob Hopper will get the chance to have a good run in the midfield and we expect Jon Patton to have a big impact up forward.

“We’ve done a lot of match practice at training and our structures are solid so it’s really exciting that games are now upon us.”

It will be a strong WSU GIANTS line-up with several players vying for a promotion to the senior squad ahead of Round 1.

Brad Miller joins the GIANTS after a two-year stint as a development coach with the Melbourne Football Club. 

He moved into coaching after finishing his 157-game playing career with Melbourne and Richmond in 2012. 

The WSU GIANTS have two more trial matches planned against Swans Reserves before the NEAFL season gets underway against Sydney University on Sunday, April 3.

Stay up to date with the match via the GIANTS’ Twitter account and check back in to gwsgiants.com.au for a full match report.