Netball: Latu misses call up to play Aussies

Australian-born Ameliaranne Wells gets another chance to impress for the Silver Ferns in the Constellation Cup series. Photo / Greg Bowker

Australian-born shooter Wells named to replace Tutaia in Constellation Cup series.

Cathrine Latu has fallen short in her pursuit for a Silver Ferns recall, though coach Waimarama Taumaunu says the Mystics shooter did everything the selectors asked of her.

Latu has been left out of the New Zealand line-up for this month's four-test Constellation Cup series against Australia, with the only change to the 12-strong team that contested the World Cup in August being the inclusion of Ameliaranne Wells. The Australian-born shooter replaces star goal attack Maria Tutaia, who is taking a break from the game.

The absence of Tutaia from the series left the door ajar for Latu to force her way back into the New Zealand line-up after her surprise omission from the Ferns' World Cup line-up.

Taumaunu said the selectors had been impressed with the resolve shown by Latu, who has worked hard over the past couple of months to improve her fitness and add another dimension to her shooting game.

But the selectors opted for the stability of a like-for-like replacement in Wells, who had a couple of runs at goal attack in last year's Constellation Cup series, rather than re-purposing their existing goal shoot options of Bailey Mes and Malia Paseka.

"[Latu] had done everything we asked, she played really well at trials and certainly made us look at what the options would be should we decide to replace a goal attack with another goal shooter," Taumaunu said. "Unfortunately, I don't know that we could have made that work. In the end we had to go with position-for-position and [Latu] understood that."

Wells' reselection comes a year after she made her debut for the Ferns following a rapid rise to the national team. The 24-year-old, who grew up in Queensland but has a Kiwi father, made the move to New Zealand late last year after taking up a contract with the Central Pulse for the 2015 season. With the Ferns' shooting stocks running low in recent years, the New Zealand selectors opted to invite Wells to trials, where she impressed and was fast-tracked straight into the New Zealand line-up.

Despite some creditable performances in the black dress in what was an ugly series for the Ferns, Wells was unable to force her way into the mix for the World Cup team, with the selectors opting for the experience of Tutaia and Jodi Brown to partner their two young goal shoot options.

Wells said having experienced the disappointment of missing out selection, she now treasures her place in the team more.

"It's been a year since I've been in the black dress, so in some ways this is a bit more meaningful for me than the first time," she said. "Obviously making my debut for the Ferns was special, but knowing the road I have travelled to get back to here now is quite important."

Silver Ferns team

Jodi Brown, Kayla Cullen, Leana de Bruin, Shannon Francois, Katrina Grant, Phoenix Karaka, Casey Kopua, Laura Langman, Bailey Mes, Malia Paseka, Grace Rasmussen, Ameliaranne Wells.

Constellation Cup series

October 20 Horncastle Arena, Christchurch
October 22 Vector Arena, Auckland
October 25 Hisense Arena, Melbourne
October 30 Perth Arena, Perth.