DENI Varnhagen has returned to Adelaide's primary list after missing season six due to the vaccination policy and season seven after giving birth to daughter Hali.
Varnhagen was one of just two AFLW players – along with St Kilda's Georgia Patrikios – who opted against receiving a vaccination for COVID-19, ruling them out of season six when the AFL requirement was in place.
The two-time premiership defender, who was a nurse away from football, also challenged the South Australian government's vaccine mandate for healthcare workers in court, losing her appeal after it was initially thrown out by the Supreme Court.
"Deni is a proven performer who knows what it takes to achieve success at the elite level and importantly, she has maintained her fitness and conditioning while away from the club," Adelaide head of AFLW Phil Harper said.
"Having missed the past two seasons, albeit they were in the same calendar year, she will immediately strengthen our squad as we look to once again challenge strongly in the finals."
The 30-year-old has played 31 games across five seasons on the primary list, missing chunks of the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to knee and quad injuries respectively.
The Crows have lost defender Hannah Button to a torn ACL for the upcoming season.
