Sharelle McMahon is continuing her lengthy rehabilitation from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered midway through the trans-Tasman league and has not ruled out making a comeback for the Melbourne Vixens in next year's tournament as a prelude to extending her 118-test career.
McMahon, 34, attended Australia's successful world championship defence in Singapore last month as a commentator and analyst and although she is planning for life after netball the former Australian captain said he was not yet ready to give the sport away.
"At the moment I'm not putting a full stop on the end of my playing career. I do have the passion to hopefully take the court at some stage," she said.
"I'm feeling an itch to get back out there."
McMahon has started running, a significant milestone as she attempts to overcome the most serious injury of her stellar association with the Australian national side.
"I'm told I'm slightly ahead of where the medical staff thought I would be at this stage of my rehabilitation.
"I'm back running again. The impact level is low but I'm building that up fairly quickly.
"I'm doing some jumping and landing as well. I'll see how that continues and I'll give it some more thought."
The Diamonds are entering a new era under Plummer's replacement Lisa Alexander and victory over the Silver Ferns in the world championship decider last month ago proved the side could cope without McMahon as Natalie Medhurst and Caitlin Bassett held their nerve in the goal circle.
Perhaps sensing a changing of the guard was imminent McMahon, who famously potted the decisive goal when Australia pipped New Zealand in Christchurch 12 years ago, had pondered her future.
Apart from her commentating role McMahon has started a sports management and personal development business with former Australian defender Bianca Chatfield.
"It's no secret that I'm getting towards the end of my career," she told the Netball Australia website.
"It's certainly something I've been thinking about for the last little while, about the things I want to put into my life when the big chunk of what I do is playing and preparing for games.
"Certainly the business that I'm doing and these other things are keeping me challenged. That's one of the things I've really loved about being an elite athlete, constantly being challenged as an individual and working as a team; I don't want that to completely stop after I finish playing."
