Adam Voges Appointed Head Coach of Seattle Orcas for Next MLC Season

Former Western Australia head coach Adam Voges has been appointed to lead the Seattle Orcas in the upcoming Major League Cricket (MLC) season, marking his latest move into the global T20 franchise circuit.

Voges succeeds fellow Australian Matthew Mott, who was removed from the position after the Orcas suffered five consecutive losses to open their 2025 campaign. With Voges recently announcing he will step down as WA head coach at the end of the current domestic season, speculation had been growing that he would soon take charge of an MLC side.

“I am very excited to be joining the Seattle Orcas for the upcoming season,” Voges said. “The MLC competition continues to grow and I look forward to working with the owners, players and staff to help bring success both on and off the field.”

Voges’ appointment comes after a highly successful tenure with Western Australia, where he oversaw a dominant era following his succession of Justin Langer in 2018. His achievements have long placed him among the frontrunners to eventually replace current Australia head coach Andrew McDonald, whose contract runs through to 2027. McDonald has already indicated he is unlikely to seek an extension.

Alongside his WA duties, Voges has coached Australia A and contributed to the national men’s program. As part of his continued coaching development, he recently joined the Hundred franchise Trent Rockets as an assistant coach.

WA Cricket remains in discussions with Voges about retaining him as head coach of the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, where he guided the club to back-to-back championships in BBL11 and BBL12. He also won the title twice as captain. Assistant coaches Beau Casson and Tim MacDonald are among the leading candidates to replace him as WA head coach.

Voges—who averaged an exceptional 61.87 across 20 Tests for Australia—now faces the challenge of lifting the Orcas back into contention. The franchise reached the final in MLC’s inaugural season but managed just four wins from 17 matches across 2024–25.

Orcas chief executive Hemant Dua welcomed the appointment, praising Voges’ pedigree and leadership qualities.

“We are thrilled to welcome Adam Voges to the Seattle Orcas family,” Dua said. “He brings a proven pedigree of winning, a distinctive ability to develop world-class talent, and a deep understanding of the nuances of T20 franchise cricket. His dominant run with Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers speaks to his expertise. We believe Adam’s calm demeanor, tactical intelligence, and commitment to building a high-performance culture will be pivotal as we aim for the Major League Cricket title.”

The Orcas are co-owned by GMR Group and JSW Sports, who also hold stakes in several major global cricket franchises, including the Delhi Capitals in the IPL and WPL, Pretoria Capitals in the SA20, and Dubai Capitals in the ILT20.