AFLW star Deni Varnhagen will spend another season on the Adelaide Crows "inactive" list, this time due to pregnancy.
The two-time premiership player spent the most recent season on the sidelines after failing to meet the league's COVID-19 vaccination policy.
Crows women's head of football Phil Harper said the club was "thrilled for Deni" and her partner Jarrad.
"It's obviously a very exciting time for them,” he said.
"We look forward to seeing her enter this new phase in her life."
Harper said the 29-year-old remained optimistic about returning to the game.
"She is hopeful of circumstances allowing her to one day return to play at the elite level and Deni remains part of the Crows family."
The AFLW season starts again in late August.
Vaccine mandate trial in limbo
Varnhagen is also a nurse, another job she lost due to vaccine mandates imposed on health workers under SA's Emergency Management Act.
She was among four workers who launched legal action in South Australia's Supreme Court in an effort to overturn the mandate.
The case is in limbo after the state's emergency declaration officially ended last month, which rescinded the Police Commissioner's powers to impose vaccine mandates.
Despite that, Varnhagen still cannot return to her nursing role permanently, with vaccine requirements for people in high-risk settings now enshrined in the state's Public Health Act.
Varnhagen revealed on Instagram she returned to work last week with a medical exemption.
"It's been 7 months since I’ve had the privilege of working with these beautiful nurses," she wrote.
"Honestly can't thank them enough for being there for me during these times."
Her case returns to the Supreme Court later this month.
