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Deni Varnhagen
Varnhagen with Adelaide in January 2019
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Den, Denis
Date of birth	(1992-10-26) 26 October 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth	Adelaide, South Australia
Original team(s)	Morphettville Park (SAWFL)
Draft	No. 26, 2016 AFL Women's draft
Debut	Round 1, 2017, Adelaide vs. Greater Western Sydney, at Thebarton Oval
Height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Adelaide
Number	9
Playing career
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2017–2024	Adelaide	38 (6)
Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Career highlights
2× AFL Women's premiership player: 2017, 2019
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Deni Varnhagen (born 26 October 1992) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Adelaide Football Club in the AFL Women's competition. She is a two-time premiership player.

Early life and state football

At the age of nine, Varnhagen started playing Australian rules football with the boys' team at the primary school in Happy Valley, where she was raised. Her coach was Phil Harper, who later on became the General Manager of Football Administration at Adelaide while Varnhagen played for them. Varnhagen continued playing junior football with the boys' team at Plympton, captaining them and winning the best and fairest award. Having to stop playing football due to her gender, Varnhagen played soccer and softball instead, representing South Australia in them, before returning to football, joining Morphettville Park. With Morphettville Park she won three premierships in a row. While playing for Morphettville Park, she represented South Australia in an exhibition match against NSW/ACT, which was played at Adelaide Oval as a curtain-raiser to a regular season match between Adelaide and St Kilda. She was named among South Australia's best, leading them to a two point victory while topping the disposal tally with 20 kicks and five handballs. Varnhagen played 10 matches in 2018–2019 with the NT Thunder in the VFL Women's.

AFL Women's career

Varnhagen was drafted by Adelaide with their fourth selection and twenty-sixth overall in the 2016 AFL Women's draft. Phil Harper, the General Manager of Football Administration, who had coached her at Happy Valley said that "she was a bit of a star all along." She made her debut in the thirty-six point win against Greater Western Sydney at Thebarton Oval in the opening round of the 2017 season, kicking a goal, tallying twelve disposals, and catching a team-high four marks. She helped Adelaide claim their first premiership, scoring a goal in the club's six point victory over Brisbane at Metricon Stadium in the AFL Women's Grand Final. She played every match in her debut season to finish with eight matches. Adelaide signed Varnhagen for the 2018 season during the trade period in May 2017. In 2019, Varnhagen helped Adelaide became a dual premiership player, helping Adelaide claim their second premiership. She won Adelaide's Best Defensive Player award, averaging a career-best 11 disposals, 2.1 tackles and 1.9 rebound 50s per game. As well as her defensive pressure, she also kicked four goals and delivered 45 inside 50s. In 2021, Varnhagen was the source of some controversy after refusing to be vaccinated for COVID-19. At the time, the league did not have a vaccination policy. After the league released its policy, stating that all players and staff must receive their first vaccination by 19 November and be fully vaccinated by 17 December, Varnhagen and the club mutually agreed to place her on the inactive list. She returned to playing for Adelaide in 2023, after the league dropped the vaccination requirement.

References

1. ^ "CROWfiles: Deni Varnhagen". Adelaide. Telstra Media. 29 January 2017.
2. ^ Conlon, Matilda (9 February 2017). "Deni the menace". Adelaide. Telstra Media.
3. Walsh, Scott (4 June 2016). "SA pair Dayna Cox and Deni Varnhagen share a history of height". The Advertiser.
4. McWilliams, Phoebe (5 June 2016). "'Rev up' sparks SA women to win over NSW/ACT". Australian Football League. Telstra Media.
5. Black, Sarah (27 April 2018). "AFLW: NT Thunder finalise team for VFLW". Australian Football League. Telstra Media.
6. "Deni Varnhagen". NT Thunder. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
7. "Crows welcome first women's draft class". Adelaide. Bigpond. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
8. "AFLW Teams Round 1: Full sides named for inaugural round of AFL Women's competition". Fox Sports. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
9. "AFLW: Grand Final teams revealed". Australian Football League. Bigpond. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
10. David, Greg (25 March 2017). "Adelaide Crows defeat Brisbane Lions by six points in AFLW grand final". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
11. "Deni Varnhagen". Australian Football. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
12. "AFLW: All the clubs' full lists after trade period - AFL.com.au". Australian Football League. Telstra Media. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
13. "AFLW: Deni's defensive drive". Adelaide. Telstra Media. 5 April 2019.
14. "Adelaide Crows issues statement after AFLW premiership player Deni Varnhagen reportedly refuses COVID-19 vaccine". ABC News. ABC. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
15. "AFLW list update: Deni Varnhagen". Adelaide. Telstra. 4 November 2021.
16. "AFLW: 2023 Guernsey numbers revealed". afc.com.au. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.

External links

• Deni Varnhagen's profile on the official website of the Adelaide Football Club
• Deni Varnhagen at AustralianFootball.com

• 1992 births
• Living people
• Adelaide Football Club (AFLW) players
• Australian rules footballers from South Australia