Fremantle star Kiara Bowers will miss the Dockers' 2024 campaign after announcing she is pregnant.
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Bowers, who shared the AFLW's best-and-fairest award in 2021 with Collingwood's Bri Davey, is due to give birth in October.
It will be the second child for Bowers and her partner Adele, who welcomed son Nate in 2020.
"The build-up was very nerve-racking, I've probably never been that nervous," Bowers said after telling her Fremantle teammates at the prompting of coach Lisa Webb.
"They may be a bit upset that I'm not annoying them at training anymore, but every single one of them gave me a hug and couldn't be happier for us."
An inaugural marquee signing with Fremantle in 2016, Bowers had to wait until 2019 to make her debut after being struck down by a succession of injuries.
The 32-year-old has played 49 games for the Dockers, winning the club's best-and-fairest award on four occasions.
Fremantle finished 13th last season with a 4-6 record.
Bowers is one of the most high-profile players to step away from the AFLW while pregnant.
Melbourne legend Daisy Pearce gave birth to twins in 2019, sitting out a season before returning to play a role in the Demons' charge to their breakthrough premiership in 2022.
Pearce is now coaching Fremantle's biggest rival, West Coast.
The 2024 AFLW season is earmarked to get under way in August, but the league is yet to confirm any formal dates.
Australian Associated Press
