BBL: Renegades and Stars sign Wade Seccombe and Clint McKay as high performance managers

BBL franchises Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Stars have created new high-performance manager roles and filled them with highly credentialed hires. The Renegades have brought in Wade Seccombe, the recently ousted Brisbane Heat coach who led them to a title last summer, while former Australian pacer Clint McKay will take over as high-performance manager for the Stars.

The appointments come after several disappointing seasons for the Melbourne BBL clubs. Previously, high-performance elements like list management, coaching, and strategy were handled by the general managers in addition to commercial operations.

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It is pleasing to have two people of Clint and Wade's caliber: Graham Manou

By adding dedicated high-performance managers, the clubs aim to change their fortunes. "It is pleasing to be able to have two people of Clint and Wade's caliber joining our cricket performance program at Cricket Victoria and working closely with both our Big Bash clubs," Graham Manou said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"They will play a vital role in the talent management and identification process with a specific focus on T20 skills and potential. They will also be an active part of our existing elite and development programs, putting a renewed emphasis on T20 cricket within our programs," he added.

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For Seccombe, the new role presents an immediate challenge, recruiting a new head coach for the Renegades after David Saker's sacking despite a year remaining on his contract. Despite his recent exit from the Brisbane-based franchise, following a poor Sheffield Shield season, Seccombe had significant success in the BBL, winning the 2022 title and reaching the prior season's final.

McKay, who had previously worked with the Stars in an advisory role on lists and drafts, will now oversee the overall high-performance program full-time. The former pacer has also been involved with the Australian coaching staff in recent years.