Brown is attending a wedding and Wilkins is easing her way back after the birth of her daughter, Mia, last month.
While the pair will be sorely missed, it is an opportunity for the Steel to look through the crystal ball and gaze into the future.
Back-up shooters Te Paea Selby-Rickit (20) and Ashleigh Smith (19) will have to carry the load in the shooting circle.
Both have featured in national age-group teams and appear to have a bright future.
If the Steel can keep them in the region, the franchise will be well positioned in the coming years.
Co-coach Natalie Avellino said it was a good opportunity for the youngsters to work on their combination and put some work in before the Steel's opening ANZ Championship match against Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in early April.
"We're down to two shooters but that is OK," Avellino said.
"It is a good opportunity for Te Paea and Ashleigh to start playing at that level and to work with the midcourt."
The Steel play the Canterbury Tactix tomorrow morning, a Canterbury men's team later that day and round out the tournament with a match against New South Wales club side Eastwood Ryde.
The Steel has decided against calling in replacements for Wilkins and Brown. Midcourter Shannon Francois can cover if required and, should the situation get desperate, the Steel can always call on the Tactix' reserve bench.
"We have not called anyone in, we don't see a need. We just think these two need to start getting their court play under control and get used to playing together."
Smith will probably slot into the goal attack role, although both are more accustomed to goal shoot.
"It won't do Te Paea any harm to play goal attack as well. It is good for her awareness, so when she is back at goal shoot she can understand space."
The team trained in Dunedin yesterday and travels to Christchurch today.
"The plan is to get everyone out on court and give them opportunities and see what they can do. That will give us something to work with as we draw closer to the next pre-season tournament."
The Steel will attend the ANZ Championship pre-season tournament in Tauranga next month. All 10 teams will be present and the tournament will provide the Steel with an excellent gauge of how the team is tracking.
More immediately, Avellino is concerned with polishing the combinations and working on communication. With the majority of the team having left after last season, the Steel is basically a new team.
"Playing games is what we need. It is about putting some combinations out there and seeing what they can do.
"It is also an opportunity for them to learn what their team-mates can do and how they play under pressure in different situations. Results won't be a focus for us at the moment."
