Netball: Back or forward - poser for Silver Ferns selectors

The New Zealand selectors have only 24 hours to decide whether a former Silver Fern or a youngster will replace Belinda Colling in next month's series against Australia.

At the end of the national championships tomorrow, a squad of up to 18 players will be named, with the New Zealand A and under 21 teams.

But of more interest will be the announcement on Sunday of the replacement for Colling.

Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken has three options.

She could go back to former Ferns Tania Dalton or Donna Loffhagen, take a gamble on an up-and-coming player, or pick Australian-born Tanya Lund, who made a good impression when she travelled and trained with the Silver Ferns to Australia in July.

Loffhagen is probably the preferred option, but her desire to play basketball appears to have ruled her out.

She is going to Australia in November for four months to will play in the Australian league.

Next month's series against Australia is the last time the two sides clash before the world championships so victory is important.

The current Silver Ferns team includes only two shooters - Irene van Dyk and Maria Tutaia. But Tutaia is inexperienced and her last game against Australia didn't go well.

Whoever is named on Sunday will have to take the court at some stage.

It becomes a question of who would Aitken feel confident putting on?

Apart from Loffhagen and Dalton the choices are limited.

Dalton is regarded as a goal shoot but could easily slot in at goal attack. She is an intelligent feeder and already has a steady relationship with Adine Wilson.

She could even go through to next year's world championships, alongside van Dyk, Tutaia and Te Huna, if need be.

But the championships are nine months away giving New Zealand plenty of time to develop other players.

If Lund does get the call-up for the Australian series, it would be difficult to find a better rags to riches to story than hers.

She was dumped from the Australian franchise the Hunter Jaegers last season after warming the bench for two years.

So Sydney-born Lund moved to New Zealand in January hoping to save her netball career.

She made the Magic, where she formed a solid relationship with van Dyk. But her performances for Bay of Plenty in the national championships have been so-so.

Had Lund come to the tournament and had a blinder, she would have been a shoo-in. The fact that she hasn't makes things difficult.

Of the group of youngsters coming through, Auckland's Paula Griffin and Canterbury's Jade Topia are the pick of the bunch and are definitely in with a chance.

Griffin has formed a handy partnership with Tutaia and has an average of 76 per cent.

However, she is more a goal shoot, and it is a goal attack that is really needed.

Topia has played a limited role in the national championships as she has been ill. But her performances in the National Bank Cup make her a strong contender.