Strikers | Heat | Hurricanes | Renegades | Stars | Scorchers | Sixers | Thunder
Preparations for the milestone 10th season of the Weber WBBL continue to ramp up as clubs lock in their squads.
The draft lottery has been held, with the Hurricanes securing the No.1 pick, and the date of the draft itself is expected to be confirmed shortly.
Clubs can also sign one overseas player ahead of the draft under the league’s new multi-year contracting mechanism announced last month.
It comes after a new season structure was revealed, with the home-and-away stage reduced to a 10-match campaign in line with the men’s competition.
Adelaide Strikers
WBBL|09 result: Champions (11 wins, 3 losses), defeated Brisbane Heat in the final
Coach: Luke Williams
Spots filled on contract list: 8 out of 15
Contracted for WBBL|10: Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Katie Mack, Tahlia McGrath (c), Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Megan Schutt, Amanda-Jade Wellington
Ins: TBC Outs: TBC
Local players off contract: Anesu Mushangwe, Courtney Neale, Annie O’Neil, Ella Wilson
WBBL|09 overseas players: Georgia Adams (England), Dani Gibson (England), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)
The two-time reigning champions are in an excellent position, with their biggest local names already locked in for WBBL|10, including Aussie stars Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown. Their depth is a strength – so much so, they did not even use all three of their overseas players on occasions last season. The unexpected move to hand Bridget Patterson the gloves proved a stroke of genius. With such a solid core of local talent, the overseas players they draft are the icing on the cake.
Brisbane Heat
WBBL|09 result: Runners-up (8wins, 6 losses), defeated by Adelaide Strikers in the final
Coach: Mark Sorell (new)
Spots filled on contract list: 6 out of 15
Contracted for WBBL|10: Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Ellie Johnston, Jess Jonassen, Charli Knott, Georgia Redmayne
Ins: TBC Outs: Amelia Kerr (Sixers)
Local players off contract: Nicola Hancock, Lucy Hamilton, Mikayla Hinkley, Grace Parsons, Courtney Sippel, Georgia Voll, Bonnie Berry (local replacement player)
WBBL|09 overseas players: Mignon du Preez (South Africa), Sarah Glenn (England), Bess Heath (England), Amelia Kerr (New Zealand)
The Heat have a new coach at the helm, with Mark Sorell replacing Ashley Noffke, who has taken on a coaching role in New Zealand. Another team with a strong core of local players, the majority are locked in, with Aussie star Grace Harris the latest to re-sign. But their batting depth in particular prompted plenty of discussion last season, particularly when it came to off-contract players Georgia Voll and Mikayla Hinkley. Highly rated young allrounder Voll started the season in the top three but dropped down as low as ninth by the end of it. There are a number of other clubs that would no doubt love to install Voll in their top three – can they lure her away? Then there is Hinkley, who played just two matches in WBBL|08 and was all the way down at No.8 in WBBL|09. The 25-year-old would likely be guaranteed greater opportunity elsewhere if she desired a move – and after switching her state allegiances to Western Australia, a move to the Scorchers could follow.
On the international front, the Heat have lost New Zealand superstar Amelia Kerr, who has been lured to the Sixers on a three-year deal. South African Mignon du Preez meanwhile has announced she is expecting twins later this year, meaning there will be at least two fresh internationals on the Heat list this season.
Hobart Hurricanes
WBBL|09 result: Sixth (6 wins, 7 losses, 1 no result)
Coach: Jude Coleman
Spots filled on contract list: 7 out of 15
Contracted for WBBL|10: Heather Graham, Ruth Johnston, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Lauren Smith, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman
Ins: Lauren Smith (Thunder) Outs: TBC
Local players off contract: Nicola Carey, Elyse Villani, Maisy Gibson, Emma Manix-Geeves, Naomi Stalenberg, Julia Cavanough, Tabby Saville (local replacement player)
WBBL|09 overseas players: Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Lizelle Lee (South Africa), Bryony Smith (England)
The Hurricanes have a very similar local group to the state side that has won three consecutive WNCL titles, but they have not been able to replicate that success in the WBBL, with just one finals appearance in the last seven seasons. A lack of consistency in the batting was a concern last season and they did not get the contribution they would have wanted from English batter Bryony Smith in her first WBBL season. The spin stocks are strong – particularly following the addition of Lauren Smith – but the pace depth is lacking a bit. With players like Elyse Villani and Nicola Carey off-contract, there is plenty of re-signing work to be done as well.
Melbourne Renegades
WBBL|09 result: Eighth (2 wins, 12 losses)
Coach: Simon Helmot
Spots filled on contract list: 5 out of 15
Contracted for WBBL|10: Josie Dooley, Ella Hayward, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb
Ins: TBC Outs: Jess Duffin (retired)
Local players off contract: Ellen Falconer, Erica Kershaw, Rhiann O’Donnell, Georgia Prestwidge, Tayla Vlaeminck, Sarah Coyte, Emma de Broughe (local replacement player), Sara Kennedy (local replacement player)
WBBL|09 overseas players: Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Tammy Beaumont (England)
The Renegades should automatically be strengthened this season by the return of Sophie Molineux and potentially Tayla Vlaeminck, who both missed the entirety of WBBL|09 due to injury. That should reduce their reliance on their imports. Hayley Matthews, Harmanpreet Kaur and Tammy Beaumont were, on paper, three of the best imports a team could hope to bring in but all three failed to fire, while the return of Jess Duffin did not pay off.
The spin stocks in particular look healthy, with two Aussie stars in Molineux and Georgia Wareham joined by Ella Hayward, while re-signing Vlaeminck – which they are no doubt eager to do – would strengthen the pace attack.
They unearthed two exciting young prospects via replacement players last season – left-arm quick Sara Kennedy and batter Emma de Broughe. Hanging onto both could be a canny look to the future for the Gades.
Melbourne Stars
WBBL|09 result: Seventh (6 wins, 8 losses)
Coach: Jon Batty
Spots filled on contract list: 5 out of 15
Contracted for WBBL|10: Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum, Kim Garth, Meg Lanning, Annabel Sutherland
Ins: TBC Outs: TBC
Local players off contract: Tess Flintoff, Milly Illingworth, Olivia Henry, Rhys McKenna, Sasha Moloney, Jas Nevins, Sophie Reid
WBBL|09 overseas players: Alice Capsey, Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley (all England)
The Stars missed the finals yet again last season but they have an exciting group of local players on the books that should provide a strong foundation. The low contributions from their trio of English batters hurt last season – especially when coupled with the absence of Meg Lanning towards the end of the season, and Tess Flintoff’s injuries that kept her off the park for the majority of it. Recruiting another local top-order batter could help ease their reliance on imports, and they could do with at least one more spinner to support Sophie Day.
Perth Scorchers
WBBL|09 result: Third (8 wins, 6 losses), defeated by Adelaide Strikers in the final
Coach: Becky Grundy
Spots filled on contract list: 7 out of 15
Contracted for WBBL|10: Chloe Ainsworth, Stella Campbell, Piepa Cleary, Maddy Darke, Alana King, Lilly Mills, Chloe Piparo
Ins: TBC Outs: TBC
Local players off contract: Amy Edgar, Beth Mooney, Charis Bekker, Lisa Griffith, Taneale Peschel, Zoe Britcliffe (local replacement player)
WBBL|09 overseas players: Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Amy Jones, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Winfield-Hill (all England)
Across the league, there is only a few current Australian players off-contract, and one is Beth Mooney. She has loved making Perth her home across the last four seasons and the club will be desperate to re-sign her, but you would expect plenty of other suitors will be making their own pitches to one of the best batters in the world.
The club returned to the finals last season, finishing second but were bundled out by the Heat. The bones of their list are excellent and, similar to the Strikers and Heat, they can be very strategic with how they draft their overseas players to put the icing on the cake. One area they are lacking in is explosive local top-order batters, so they could look to add one to address any issues with overseas availability (Voll or Hinkley, anyone?) – and they cannot afford to lose Mooney.
Sydney Sixers
WBBL|09 result: Fifth (7 wins, 7 losses)
Coach: Charlotte Edwards
Spots filled on contract list: 9 out of 15
Ins: Amelia Kerr (Heat) Outs: TBC
Contracted for WBBL|10: Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Kate Pelle, Ellyse Perry, Kate Peterson
Local players off contract: Jade Allen, Mathilda Carmichael, Emma Hughes, Gabby Sutcliffe, Hannah Trethwey
WBBL|09 overseas players: Chloe Tryon (South Africa), Linsey Smith (England), Suzie Bates, Jess Kerr (both New Zealand)
The Sixers consistently have one of the best squads on paper, which is why it is baffling they have made finals just once in the last five seasons. But after luring New Zealand star Amelia Kerr away from the Heat and signing her on a three-year deal, that trend could change.
The Sixers followed up an outstanding WBBL|08 campaign with another tough run last season, starting slow before falling short in their belated run at the top four. A season-ending injury to Alyssa Healy played a major role in that, as did an out-of-form Suzie Bates, forcing the Sixers to switch up their opening pair throughout the season and even experiment with Maitlan Brown at the top of the order. Losing the option to draft Sophie Ecclestone due to injury hurt big time, and Ashleigh Gardner was below her best with the bat, adding to their struggles. Not much needs to change here personnel-wise for the Sixers to return to the top four – they just need fitness and form in their favour.
Sydney Thunder
WBBL|09 result: Fourth (7 wins, 6 losses, 1 no result), defeated by Brisbane Heat in the Eliminator
Coach: Lisa Keightley
Spots filled on contract list: 7 out of 15
Ins: TBC Outs: Lauren Smith (Hurricanes)
Contracted for WBBL|10: Sam Bates, Hannah Darlington, Saskia Horley, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Claire Moore, Tahlia Wilson
Local players off contract: Paris Bowdler, Ebony Hoskin, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Olivia Porter
WBBL|09 overseas players: Heather Knight (England), Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Lauren Bell (England), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa)
The Thunder were the comeback story of last season, turning around a poor WBBL|08 that yielded just two wins with a return to the finals. Their young group run out of puff as finals approached but the signs of a very promising future were there.
With players like Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia Wilson and Hannah Darlington on the books, the Thunder have a strong foundation to build on. They probably will still be reliant on experienced internationals, however – last season, Heather Knight’s leadership was instrumental, and player of the tournament Chamari Athapaththu a key reason for their success.
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