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Madi Browne, a veteran of 61 Tests for the Australian Diamonds, has announced her retirement from netball after an injury setback.

An ongoing knee issue has forced former Australian Diamond Madi Browne into an earlier-than-expected retirement.

Browne, Collingwood's inaugural skipper and a current co-captain of the Magpies, will step away from elite level netball after a stellar international career and 15 domestic league seasons.

She had planned to retire at the end of the 2020 Super Netball season but another injury setback and a compacted schedule has fast-tracked her decision.

Browne reached netball's greatest heights despite a chronic right knee problem that required reconstructions in 2015 and 2019.

Scans this week revealed cartilage damage to the same knee which needed repair 16 months ago.

The 32-year-old midcourter played seven matches of the 2020 Super Netball season before reporting soreness following Collingwood's round-seven loss to the West Coast Fever.

In a decorated career, Browne earned 61 Test caps for the Diamonds and was the first two-time winner of domestic netball's highest individual honour, the Liz Ellis Diamond award.

She was also twice named netball's international player of the year.

Browne was also a key member of Australia's gold medal-winning team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

"I have pushed my body to its absolute limits to play the game I love," Browne said.

"Unfortunately, I have not had the fairytale ending to my final Super Netball season, but I wouldn't change my journey."

Collingwood coach Rob Wright said Browne departs as one of the all-time great midcourters

Browne's retirement comes as her younger sister Kelsey suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Magpies' loss to the Giants on Saturday.