The other major change that may bear fruit in her pursuit of the number one spot is the transfer of mid-courter Laura Langman to Latu's Northern Mystics for the 2014 ANZ Championship season.
Langman joined the diaspora from the Waikato-BOP Magic - after playing for the team for 10 years and captaining it for three - leaving after the resignation of long-serving coach Noeline Taurua.
"Personally having Laura here was huge for me (when it became time to signing again for the Mystics); it's going to be great to get a really good connection going that, hopefully, fingers crossed and all going well, could serve me well at the Commonwealth Games," Latu said.
Getting good service from such a talented and established player could be what Latu has been looking for since the retirement of Temepara George. "Making a good combination is often down to time. It's something that me and Temepara developed after a lot of time together, so Laura and I are working on that now and how we can work to each other's strengths, so that's a new direction this year."
The ANZ championship could be a different competition this year with the Magic unlikely to be the dominant force they have been since the competition began and Latu expects the new Mystics line-up - announced last week - to step up.
"We definitely can't do any worse than last year but it's an exciting time for netball in New Zealand with people spreading out a bit and making the competition a bit more unpredictable."
Meanwhile, the international season has again become the focus with the Constellation Cup resuming last night in Adelaide with the series level at 1-1.
Latu said after a commanding first-up performance it was disappointing to lose the second game.
"At least it has added some excitement to the series, but it wasn't ideal because the game was well within our grasp."
With the shooters coughing up the ball in the match - it might have been a good time to inject the hungry Latu in to the mix.
"It would have been nice, it would have made the Aussies think a bit more and perhaps unsettle them with a different line-up but I'd hate to be a coach in times like that so I'll just stick to being a possible player," she said.
The Kawakawa sharpshooter is now well settled in Auckland and knows she will have plenty of chances to impress in the upcoming international season, which also includes a home series against Malawi and a Fast5 Netball World Series in Auckland in November.
Northern Mystics squad: Anna Harrison, Catherine Latu, Maria Tutaia, Julie Corletto, Kayla Cullen, Temalisi Fakahokotau, Laura Langman, Jodi Tod-Elliott, Bailey Mes, Nadia Loveday, Erikana Pedersen and Elisapeta Toeava.
