But after training on steep donkey tracks through the Greek islands, the Diamonds vice-captain said she was in form to take on New Zealand in the first Constellation Cup Test on Thursday.

The Silver Ferns, playing on home soil in Invercargill, will be looking for redemption after Australia hammered them 58-40 in the Commonwealth Games final.

"This is do or die for them," Green said.

"They would want revenge from the last game and we know how strong they can come back after a loss."

Australia have won three out of four Constellation Cup series since the competition began in 2010 but only one game out of three in Invercargill.

Green said New Zealand would field a much fitter side than the injury-beset team that lost in Glasgow.

"They weren't 100 per cent there, and we know that and we expect more from them," Green said.

"Expecting more" is a refrain from the 176-centimetre centre, who captains the NSW Swifts.

She said she expected more from herself after sitting on the bench during the Diamonds' Glasgow victory.

"I was rubbish in Comm games, to be honest," she says.

"It was really disappointing sitting on the bench but really rewarding for the team, winning that gold.

"The girls that were on there did an amazing job and thoroughly deserved to be on court.

"So for me, it's about earning my spot back."

A European holiday gave Green a chance to relax but also to increase her endurance.

"I've done quite a bit of fitness work since I've been away in Europe, running the donkey tracks in Santorini and things like that, just so I felt ready to go in these international tours," she said.

Green said Australia were honing alternative strategies to deploy against the Silver Ferns if plan A was not enough.

"We've got a few different things that we're trialling, defensively and at the attack end as well," she said.

"We know they've got a few different players coming into the fold which may differ the way they play."

But the Diamonds' main focus is on avoiding complacency after such a commanding victory against a side Green still rates as Australia's toughest opponent.

Green said Australia could not afford to sit back and say: "Oh, that's alright that we stuffed up a couple of times.

"It's not alright."

Coach Lisa Alexander said the Diamonds had a long way to improve, despite not dropping a Test for more than a year.

"I don't think we've hit our straps by any measure," Alexander said on Wednesday. "We know that we've got areas that we need to keep working on, particularly around penalties.

"It's a matter of being hard with each other."