Mitchell Johnson: Adam Voges the right man for the job as WA looks to extend trophy glut in Sheffield Shield

Adam Voges has never been the kind of guy to stand out.

Now it’s hard for him not to, as he stands on the verge of leading Western Australia and Perth Scorchers to a clean sweep of trophies for a second straight season.

WA cricket’s golden era is a phenomenal achievement from everybody at the WA Cricket Association, with Voges playing a pivotal role as coach as they chase back-to-back Sheffield Shield titles this week.

Voges’ successes as coach have been outstanding. But seeing it unfold hasn’t surprised me.

V was a leader from a young age and I saw it first-hand on Australia’s under-19s tour of England back in 1999.

He definitely wasn’t a player you wanted to room with, because he was a really bad snorer. But he already had a maturity and knowledge of the game that belied his years.

Voges has never changed much. There’s nothing flashy about him despite his achievements in the game. He’s thoughtful and a bit of an intellectual, almost nerdy, yet a great bloke to have a beer or a chat with.

Underpinning WA’s success has been a significant culture change that dates back to Justin Langer’s time as coach. The foundation was there, which Voges was part of as captain when he bought into the message and standards that JL wanted from the players.

Langer’s elevation to national coach in 2018 fast-tracked Voges into the State job probably before he thought he was ready. What a decision backing him in turned out to be.

While Voges went from player to coach quickly and the nature of those changing relationship dynamics can provide a challenge, his advantage was he already has the trust of the group as their captain.

Even though it was sudden, he has transitioned really easily because of the type of person he is.

Voges has got a big heart and I think that’s really important in a coach. He played with a lot of his players and he cares for them.

With his long playing career having spanned the old school era into the new school, V has that understanding of how to work with his players and get the best out of them.

There are a lot of similarities between Langer and Voges because they played together for so long. But of course, V is his own man with his own personality.

He has a calmness about him and doesn’t get flustered. There’s not a lot of ranting and raving. But don’t think he’s not intense when he needs to be. You have to be firm as coach because it’s professional sport. It’s about choosing your moments and doing it the right way.

One of Voges’ great strengths is the way he empowers players by letting them make decisions for themselves. He only steps in when he needs to and it’s because he’s seen something that he thinks he can assist with.

As a player, he was about getting on with the job and being consistent and persistent. He was rewarded with a belated Test career that reaped an extraordinary average of 61.9 from 20 Test matches.

As captain, he always gave his bowlers confidence that he backed your plans out in the middle and that is something he has taken into his coaching.

Voges leads a group of players for WA who love playing with and for each other. They have genuine care for each other off the field. That to me is a big reason for their success on the field.

They have pre-season camps where they bond and push each other to become better. They strike a balance between training extremely hard when they need to and also enjoying down time together - whether it’s having a beer or going for a coffee or going fishing.

It creates some balance amid a hectic schedule and when it’s time to switch on, they know they have each other’s backs.

The Scorchers’ 2021/22 Big Bash League triumph, while spending virtually the entire season on the road in a COVID bubble, was the ultimate example of where a sacrificial mindset and attitude can get you. They beat their opponents off the field before beating them on it.

The players just get on with the job, don’t complain and fight till the end. A lot like their coach.