Heat BBL winning coach Wade Seccombe quits after being asked to re-apply for his job

Brisbane Heat BBL title-winning coach Wade Seccombe has quit his roles with Heat and the Queensland Bulls after being asked to re-apply for both jobs following an end-of-season review.

Seccombe was out of contract at the end of the season but despite guiding the Heat to their first BBL title in 11 years, Queensland finished last in the Sheffield Shield for the first time in his seven-year tenure and second last in the Marsh Cup.

Seccombe had previously coached Queensland to two Shield titles in 2017-18 and 2020-21. But after being asked to re-apply for the two roles he has decided to step away.

"Winning the BBL was huge goal of mine as a coach and a massive achievement for the club, and that is something that I will look back on with great pleasure down the track," Seccombe said in a statement released by Queensland Cricket on Wednesday night.

"I said when I was reappointed a few years ago that there were several coaching goals I had set myself, with a BBL title and a chance to work with the Australian team again or internationally among the challenges that lay ahead for me.

"My family and I will take stock on things from here and see what opportunities may present themselves in the future. I am eternally grateful for their support and the success I have been fortunate to experience as a coach is due to them."

Queensland Cricket appointed Joe Dawes as new General Manager of Elite Teams, Performance and Pathways, during the season in a role that had been vacated last winter by long-time Queensland Cricket General Manager Bennett King.

They had restructured their men's coaching set-up three years ago to bring the Heat and Bulls programmes under one head coach with Seccombe taking over from Darren Lehmann in a coaching model that mirrored the success that Western Australia and Perth Scorchers have had under both Justin Langer and Adam Voges.

Dawes said in a statement it is likely Queensland Cricket will continue to combine the roles after Seccombe's departure.

"Wade informed us that he would not be seeking a new contract, and he was upfront about his intentions once he had completed the various post-season reviews with players and staff," Dawes said.

"We will now go to market for the role of head coach of the Brisbane Heat and Queensland Bulls and are very confident that such a prime coaching role will attract some outstanding candidates who will relish the chance to work in this exciting programme.

"Queensland Cricket thanks Wade and his family for their commitment on and off the field and we certainly wish him every success in his future endeavours. He will no doubt look back on the BBL title win this season with the satisfaction of a job well done."

The news comes just 24 hours after the Queensland government announced its intention not to rebuild the Gabba despite a report into Queensland's stadium infrastructure ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games suggesting the Gabba was no longer fit for purpose.

That decision does guarantee Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia will be able to play at the Gabba in the immediate future up until the 2032 Games with no need to relocate but what happens with the facility beyond that remains to be seen.