The pair formed a formidable attacking circle at Sunshine Coast this year en route to the maiden Super Netball title, and Wood hopes to spend plenty of time alongside the newly anointed Diamonds captain, should she play her third test this week.

Bassett was named the new Diamonds captain last month but her first tournament ended in defeat, a 57-47 Quad Series loss in the decider.

That was with a different attacking configuration including Madi Robinson and Gretel Tippett, who have been rested for the Constellation Cup as Australian coach Lisa Alexander assesses other possible options for next year's Commonwealth Games.

In Bassett and Wood she has a deadly goal-circle combination - the world's best under-the-post shooter, and one of the finest exponents of the long bomb.

"I think she's in the best form of her career," Wood said of Bassett.

"For me, when I found out C Bass was coming [to Sunshine Coast], I didn't want to become just the third feeder.

"We had the conversation and she was like, 'I want you to be putting up the shots'. We found a pretty good balance with her shouldering a load but I'm helping her out.

"If I've got the ball, I've got a goal attack bib so it means I have to be able to shoot from anywhere in that circle.

"She's constantly giving me feedback and I think our combination definitely grew, but if you talk to both of us I think we can definitely take the combination to another level."

Just how Alexander shapes her attack around Bassett on Thursday remains to be seen, with Magpies shooter Caitlin Thwaites and Giants playmaker Susan Pettitt also in the squad.

The coach said on Monday that her side was "wounded" by its heavy Quad Series defeat to the Silver Ferns, and has demanded a response in Auckland as it prepares to win a seventh Constellation Cup.

Alexander also blamed the Super Netball tactical time out as a reason for her side's poor Quad Series performance against New Zealand, claiming the players had become used to mid-quarter coaching.

Australia trailed by eight points at quarter-time in that game against New Zealand, and never recovered.

Tactical time outs were introduced as part of the inaugural Super Netball season, allowing coaches to stop the game once in each half and speak to their players.

"As players we have to take the responsibility to be able to change that momentum without having to have that tactical time out," Wood said.

"I'm a firm believer in that as players we've also got to be coaches, we can't constantly be looking to the sidelines for answers.

"It is a bit of a change and we have to adapt to that but you can't be in the Australian team if you can't adapt.