Wipiiti ready to step into Ferns shooting circle

Having once considered herself as just a number on the bench, netball shooter Daneka Wipiiti is looking to take full advantage of her return to Silver Ferns contention.

The Southern Steel player is one of the hopefuls pressing for inclusion in the 12-strong Commonwealth Games team, which will be named on Friday at the conclusion of a selection camp in Auckland.

A shortage of shooting options, with Jodi Brown focusing on motherhood and fellow-former Silver Fern Paula Griffin taking a break from the sport, puts Wipiiti in line to be back-up for the frontline pair of Irene van Dyk and Maria Tutaia in New Delhi in October.

"It's a huge goal to be part of the Commonwealth Games team," she said.

"It's nice to be back with the girls, but I have to stamp my authority, take the opportunity with two hands and go for it."

Hamilton-born Wipiiti, 27, made her Silver Ferns debut in 2002, but has spent a large part of her career away from the test arena and has just nine caps to her name.

A new mum, she said she was "a lot older, a lot wiser" than when she was first selected as a wide-eyed 19-year-old.

"I had just moved up to Auckland and I was a little kid in the big smoke, and then I was thrown into the Ferns team," she said.

"It was such a big thing to get my head around."

Now she knew what her body was capable of and what she had to do in her preparation to go up against the best.

Her goals were also higher.

"Before it was overwhelming but now I'm crazy and I really want a gold medal," she said.

"Hopefully I get the opportunity to be with the girls to do that and to be out there starting as well or be on option off the bench, whereas before I was probably a number on the bench."

Wipiiti's call-up for the camp came after a strong showing in this year's transtasman league and she credited part of that to motherhood.

In December, Wipiiti, whose partner is Southland rugby lock Joe Tuineau, gave birth to daughter Kilani-Mae.

It had been "hard yakka" getting back to match fitness after having a baby, while being a mother had given her a balance that helped her netball.

"I go away to train and I'm Daneka, and I come home and I'm a mum," she said.

"There are two aspects of my life now, whereas before, everything was netball. When I go away, I give 100 percent, but then I come home and really relax and concentrate on being a mum."

- NZPA