Long wait nearly over for Cathrine Latu

Cathrine Latu is used to playing the waiting game.

The Kawakawa-born Northern Mystics shooter has been part of the Silver Ferns wider training group for the past two years, and finally received the call into the Silver Ferns squad earlier this month, after serving a four-year standdown since representing Samoa at the 2007 world championship.

A team of 12 will be named on September 12 to play the first test against England on October 3, followed by games later that month against Australia.

And now the decision on whether Latu will be included is growing closer, the affable 25-year-old is starting to feel nervous - and slightly impatient.

"It's really close now. It feels like I have been waiting forever to even be allowed to play for New Zealand ... I'm very nervous. People keep saying things to make me think I will make it in, but you can't get too confident. I know what it feels like to have it and then have it taken away from me."

In April, Netball NZ made an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Latu's eligibility to play for the Silver Ferns at this year's championships in Singapore, but it was turned down, which was hugely disappointing for Latu.

"I'm just trying to go with it and do whatever I can to help me get a spot in the team," she said about making the Ferns, who will be coached by Ruth Aitken in her last campaign with the side, along with newly appointed assistant coach Noeline Taurua.

Since the end of the Northern Mystics ANZ Championships campaign, Latu has been hard at work with the Netball NZ trainers - but it's been lonely at times.

"I've been training really intensely, but it's also been a bit boring. Most of the Ferns have been on holiday since the World Cup - and they deserved to take time out as they had a long campaign with the cup on the back of the Commonwealth Games last year - but I've had no other players to talk to. But they are slowly coming back and it's nice to have the company."

Last Friday, the newest Silver Ferns squad member was in Northland to visit friends and family, who were as anxious as her about the naming of the team next month.

"The family are really excited. But they will be proud either way."

She also paid a visit to her old school, Kawakawa Primary where she presented the school with some netball training equipment, donated by Holden.

"I loved growing up in Northland and had plenty of fun times at Kawakawa Primary. It was really nice to be back there and see what changes they have done. They have upgraded it a lot - when I was there we sat on the concrete for assembly - now they have a great new hall," the 25-year-old said.

Latu spotted a few familiar faces at the school, and was a hit with the children.

"I knew quite a lot of the young ones - I have nieces and nephews at the school and their friends know our family well ... it was really fun," she said.

It was a flying visit and Latu was back in Auckland on Saturday, where she will resume training with the Ferns and also with the Auckland NPC side whose campaign starts in October.

"I have been training with the Auckland NPC side along with Kayla Cullen [fellow Silver Ferns squad member] ... it is a little strange touching the netball at the moment as while I've been training I haven't played a nice, solid game of netball since the Mystics made the grand final this year against Queensland Firebirds ... NPC is a completely different level to what we have been playing but it keeps us in touch," Latu said.

Latu will play for Auckland at the NPC tournament if she does not make the Ferns. She is also signed up to play her fifth season with the Mystics in 2012.

Silver Ferns Schedule 2011:

New World Netball Series: Silver Ferns v England, October 3, Trusts Stadium Arena, Waitakere; October 6, ILT Velodrome, Invercargill. Holden Netball Test Series: Silver Ferns v Australian Diamonds, October 23, Burswood Dome, Perth; October 26, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide; October 30, Hisense Arena, Melbourne.