In many ways livewire forward Danielle Paredes (nee Ponter) has grown up with the Crows, since arriving in Adelaide in 2018 from Darwin as an 18-year-old.
Today aged 26, she has won two AFLW premierships, garnered All-Australian selection and kicked her way to becoming the Crows all-time leading AFLW goal scorer.
Along the way she’s also enjoyed sharing life’s milestones with her teammates, including her engagement to Nate Paredes in 2024 and their wedding earlier this year.
Now, she’s shared another major life milestone with her teammates: she is expecting her first child.
Paredes revealed her happy news to teammates via a “Name that Baby” game she set up with teammate Madison Newman – except not even Newman knew the twist that was coming.
Newman and Paredes stood in front of the team asking them to pair up players with the cute baby photos that flashed up on the big screen … until the very end when a picture of an ultrasound scan came up on the big screen and Paredes surprised them all.
“I think (telling the team) was one of my favourite moments ever,” she says.
“The best thing about football are all the little moments that happen behind closed doors that show how powerful sport is.
“These are the moments that remind you how special it is to be in environments like this and to share these life moments with the girls.
“I am very blessed.”
Due in December, Paredes will sit out the 2026 season and will be placed on the Club’s inactive list.
“I’m excited to step into this next phase of life,” she says.
“Kids have always been a very important part of both my and Nate’s lives, and we love them very much, so to be able to have our own is something very special.
“For now, footy has to take a step back, at the end of the day it’ll definitely be worth it and we’re excited for what’s to come.
“In that regard, I have mixed emotions because footy has been such a strong part of my life for a long time now, but I’m very happy.”
Paredes will continue to train during the 2026 season as much as she can, as she aims to return to the elite level in 2027.
“I’m still trying to be around the girls as often as I can be and keeping fit because, obviously, the idea is to come back (next season) and play alongside these girls again … and I’ll have my little baby there,” she says.
Paredes might be spending the 2026 on the sidelines, but she wants to be as involved in the team’s success as she possibly can be.
“I want to try and be around the girls as much as I can be on game days and in training sessions, I’ll be that annoying pregnant lady in the corner,” she says with a laugh.
“But seriously, I will keep being a cheerleader for these girls.”
