Melbourne Renegades have appointed a new head coach ahead of the upcoming Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season, with the franchise hoping the change in leadership can help them return to the top end of the competition. The Renegades have turned to a coach with strong links to the Australian women’s setup as they prepare for WBBL|12.
Gavan Twining to take charge after Simon Helmot’s departure
Gavan Twining, an assistant coach with the Australia women’s team, has been named the Renegades’ new head coach for the upcoming WBBL campaign. He will take charge of the side after Australia’s international commitments against Bangladesh and New Zealand in October. Twining is already familiar with several members of the Renegades squad through his work with the national team. He has worked particularly closely with Sophie Molineux, who captains both Australia and the Melbourne Renegades, giving the new coach an existing relationship with one of the key figures in his squad.
His appointment comes after Simon Helmot stepped down during the off-season. Helmot, who had been in charge of the Renegades, departed the role to pursue other opportunities in franchise cricket. Twining’s stint with the Renegades will be temporary, with the coach expected to return to the Australian women’s setup once the WBBL season concludes. In the meantime, Renegades high-performance manager Clint McKay will oversee the team during the T20 Spring Challenge.
The Renegades are also operating under a temporary structure for the 2026-27 season, with Cricket Australia overseeing the club amid the wider discussions surrounding the future ownership and potential privatisation of the Big Bash competitions.
New coach expected to turn Renegades’ fortunes
Twining will inherit a team that knows what it takes to win the WBBL but struggled to maintain that level during the previous campaign. The Renegades entered WBBL|11 as the defending champions and carried plenty of expectations after their title-winning season. However, their campaign proved inconsistent as they finished fifth on the points table with 10 points from 10 matches.
Five victories and five defeats left Melbourne just outside the playoff places. While the team showed flashes of its championship-winning quality, they were unable to put together enough consistent performances to secure a spot in the final four. That will make WBBL|12 an important campaign for the Renegades. With Twining bringing experience from the Australian national setup, the franchise will hope his knowledge, tactical approach and familiarity with several players can help restore their competitive edge.
The new coach will have the task of building consistency within the group while making the most of the experience already present in the squad. With Molineux continuing to provide leadership on the field, Twining will look to guide the Renegades back into playoff contention and potentially challenge for another WBBL title.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
