Wilkins (31) announced yesterday she would not be pulling on the bib for the Steel next year, indicating she had not been happy with some of the support she had received from the franchise this season.
Wilkins gave birth to a baby boy, Cooper, just before Christmas last year, then broke her wrist in a pre-season match in Queenstown in February but managed to come back for the season.
She did not play last year, taking on the assistant coaching role for the Steel in the first year of the ANZ Championship.
Though she got off to a slow start, she improved as the season went on and played some excellent netball in the final few games as the Steel made it to the semifinals, where it lost to the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Wilkins has played 12 seasons of netball for Invercargill-based sides.
Steel chief executive Julie Paterson said she had talked to Wilkins on Monday afternoon and was "really sorry" to hear that Wilkins felt she had not received enough support from the franchise.
"We feel very strongly that the contribution to the team by Donna has been amazing, and her performance has been one of the keys to the success of the team this year," Paterson said.
She said it was new territory for the Steel to cater for a player who had just had a baby, but Wilkins had been given flexibility.
Cooper had travelled with Wilkins the entire season, and Wilkins' mother had also travelled to some games.
"We allowed her flexibility around her trainings and we really did take it all into consideration that she had a new baby. But we have to remember it is a team environment."
She said Wilkins had not spoken to her about the situation during the season.
When asked if Wilkins had come back too early from the pregnancy, Paterson said everyone was different.
"I don't know [if Wilkins came back too early]. But it is a big ask for anybody to come back from having a baby to play professional sport. She coped remarkably well."
She said no-one in the team had complained about Wilkins' family obligations taking priority over team commitments.
In a statement yesterday, Wilkins said it had been a challenging season which had not gone completely to plan.
"Juggling an elite sports career and being a new mum to Cooper has been harder than I expected - there's been teething problems for both sides," Wilkins said.
She praised the help of her mother, and said she had come back too early from her injury.
Wilkins said she planned to "chill out" for a while before making any decision on her playing future, but any decision would be based on what fitted in with her family.
Paterson confirmed that Steel captain Adine Wilson was pregnant again and would not be playing next year.
"When you have players who come back as new mums then you have to realise these players are building families and might not be there the next season."
She dismissed suggestions the Steel was on the slide as a result of Wilkins and Wilson moving on.
She said the franchise was seeking to recruit some new players but could not talk to anyone until after the ANZ Championship final this weekend.
The Steel was talking to its own players, and experienced defender Sheryl Scanlon, who made her debut for the Steel this year, had indicated her desire to come back.
Daneka Wipiiti, who is pregnant, had indicated she was also keen to play next year.
Paterson said the Steel was lucky in that many players, such as Wendy Telfer, Erika Burgess and Katrina Grant, were young but still quite experienced.
Attempts to contact Steel coach Robyn Broughton, assistant coach Margaret Foster and Wilkins were unsuccessful yesterday.
