AFL Women's Grand Final - Brisbane v Adelaide
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 25: Abbey Holmes of the Crows celebrates during the 2017 AFLW Grand Final match between the Brisbane Lions and the Adelaide Crows at Metricon Stadium on March 25, 2017 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Former AFLW star Abbey Holmes will make a return to football, with the former Adelaide Crow joining Hawthorn's VFLW team for the 2021 season.

The club confirmed in a statement on Friday afternoon that Holmes had signed with them for the upcoming campaign.

Holmes, 30, was drafted by Adelaide in the 2016 AFLW draft and played two years at the club in 2017 and 2018 before being at the end of the 2018 season.

She has since worked on the Channel 7 commentary team as a boundary reporter and also participated in the most recent Australia Survivor series.

Hawks General Manager of VFL and VFLW Football Dan Napoli said Holmes was a valuable addition to the club.

“Abbey is an AFLW premiership player. She knows what it takes to succeed and she has so much footy IQ she can impart on her younger teammates,” Napoli told hawthornfc.com.au.

“We’re so excited to watch her pull on the brown and gold guernsey in the season ahead.”

Holmes joins the likes of Northern Territory talent Dom Carbone, former W-league soccer player Catherine Brown and AFLW star and Hawthorn’s newly appointed captain, Jess Trend as the Hawks' newest acquisitions that are sure to bring plenty of excitement to the club.

She will wear No. 31 - the same number as partner Keegan Brooksby's for the Hawks AFL side.