Australian cricketer and Melbourne Renegades foundation player Sophie Molineux is acutely aware of what Sunday’s WBBL final at the MCG represents: A golden opportunity for her and her club.
The 26-year-old veteran of more than 100 WBBL matches said delivering the Renegades their first women’s title would be “right up there” when it comes to career highlights.
Molineux has had plenty of memorable cricketing moments, but it’s been far from plain sailing lately as injuries struck her down. She played in two Australian Twenty20 World Cup-winning teams before her 23rd birthday but then faced a long road to fight her way back into national colours this year. She made her long-awaited international return during February’s Test match against South Africa in Perth – ending an 858-day drought between appearances – after recovering from serious knee and ankle injuries.
Australian cricketer Sophie Molineux.Credit: Justin McManus
Molineux was back in the Australian line-up for October’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, where they fell short in their quest for a fourth-straight title since 2018. They last won in 2023, when Molineux was still missing through injury.
She said winning a WBBL title for the Renegades, the franchise that gave a raw teenager from Bairnsdale her big break, would have special meaning.
“The big message this week has been to lean in to those experiences and for girls to be able to chat about big games and how they can process that and how they can perform.”
“Yeah, right up there,” she said when asked where a WBBL title would rank in her list of career achievements.
“Being at the club for 10 years now with [fellow Australian star] Georgia Wareham, another girl that plays for Australia – we’ve had some really tough years at the Renegades.
“Opportunities in finals are few and far between. With a season like this [a 7-3 record and earning the right to host the final at the MCG], it’s pretty special.”
Molineux is back on the big stage after a horror run with injury.Credit: Justin McManus
The Renegades men’s outfit has just one title to their name (2018-19), while the Melbourne Stars are bereft of either a men’s or women’s crown in a lamentable return for Victoria.
The Renegades have known for about a week they’d be hosting the final, with their opponents at the ’G on Sunday, the Brisbane Heat, not decided until Friday night when the two-time champions qualified with an emphatic won over the Sydney Thunder.
“It’s really exciting,” reflected Molineux as she gazed across the famed MCG turf before Melbourne’s final training session on Friday.
“We haven’t played in a final before, so we’re just trying to take it all in this week – the opportunity to be able to set up in the MCG change rooms. Even just the little things like having a hit out in the nets … we’ll make sure we take the time to make the most of it.
“We don’t want to leave any stone unturned this week. We’ve tried to dot the Is and cross the Ts.
“The main thing we’ve focused on is … not thinking too much [on external things], and outcomes.
“Sunday is going to be a really special day for the club.”
Just before Molineux was welcomed back into the Australian fold in February – even before the Victorian’s spot in the Test XI was confirmed – Australian great Alyssa Healy spoke glowingly about her teammate’s value to the side.
“She’s a great story to have back in and around our group,” Healy said.
“Even at training … it was like first day of school for her. She was out there first thing, kicking the footy and warming up and making sure she did everything right to ensure she was ready to go.
“It’s been a tough road for her.”
That “tough road” included a ruptured ACL suffered in late 2022 in the Melbourne WBBL derby. The serious injury happened soon after she’d completed intensive rehab on an ankle injury.
Molineux missed four matches this WBBL campaign, but she describes the knee soreness she’s experienced as just “a little tweak”.
“I’ve had plenty of support around me,” she said. “[In] the games that I’ve missed, Hayley Matthews stood up beautifully as captain … [then there’s] Georgia Wareham, there’s leaders everywhere in that group … everyone is stepping up which has been great to see.
“It [my knee complaint] was just a little tweak. Yeah, it feels good now.”
Katy Perry on stage at the MCG in 2020 with Australia’s victorious women’s side.Credit: Getty Images
The MCG’s stands were heaving with a capacity crowd for Australia’s win on home soil in the T20 World Cup final four years ago – a golden night for women’s sport in this country. Molineux earned her own piece of folklore by dancing the night away with Katy Perry on the podium during the celebrations.
Reminded of the moment, Molineux could only laugh.
“I don’t think Katy’s coming on Sunday, unfortunately,” she added.
“There’s been a lot of good memories here. That night in 2020 was a really special one for the game. For women’s cricket to get 86,000 people here to watch a game of cricket was something really special to be a part of.
“There’s a lot of experienced players in the Renegades set-up who’ve played in big matches, in World Cup finals, who’ve won Big Bash [titles].
“The big message this week has been to lean in to those experiences and for girls to be able to chat about big games and how they can process that and how they can perform.”
The WBBL final between the Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat starts at 1.20pm AEDT Sunday at the MCG
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