Sydney Thunder sack coach Trevor Griffin after poor WBBL season

Trevor Griffin has been sacked as Sydney Thunder's WBBL head coach after another disappointing season for the club, two years after he led them to their first title.

Thunder won just one of 14 matches in this year's tournament to finish bottom of the table after a seventh-placed performance in 2021.

A Thunder statement said "management concluded it was time for a change of direction."

The club have not been able to replicate their title-winning season of 2020 when they beat Melbourne Stars in the final after the entire season had been played in a Sydney-based hub due to Covid.

When Griffin was appointed in 2019 to replace Joanne Broadbent he became the WBBL's first non-Australian coach. Phoebe Litchfield and Hannah Darlington have come through the ranks to represent Australia.

"It's been an amazing opportunity and one I'm incredibly proud of. A huge honour, and I've built memories and friendships for life," he said. "I'm so sad we're not able to continue our journey.

"The squad is so different from the one I inherited four years ago - whilst relatively young, the players have grown so much. I sincerely hope the work we've put into the squad leaves them in a great place to go on to achieve fantastic successes in the future."

Thunder will need a new captain next season following the retirement of Rachael Haynes.

Griffin is the second coach to leave the New South Wales structure in recent weeks following the departure of Phil Jaques from the men's state team following a poor first half to the season.