Thunder not 'second fiddle' as new GM targets silverware

Sydney Thunder general manager Trent Copeland has vowed his club won't play "second fiddle" in NSW as he revealed why they sought to lure Englishman Sam Billings back from Brisbane Heat.

Billings has committed to the Thunder for the next three seasons after becoming the first overseas player to sign a multi-year deal under the Big Bash League's new contracting mechanism designed to help prevent internationals departing early to rival T20 franchise leagues.

Copeland said he wanted to bring in good decision makers under pressure as he vowed that if they didn't win the title – men's and women's – this summer he would be asking "why?"

"We are no second fiddle to any club in New South Wales, we are no second fiddle to any other club," he said.

"I want our list to be positioned and how we approach this tournament as male and female that on our best day, no one can beat us.

"We want to position ourselves to win the title.

"There's been a lot of talk around community club, which we absolutely are, and leaning into the west of Sydney is a real focus (where the Thunder will play four games in KFC BBL|14, up from three).

"But the high performance element of talking about playing finals and being hard-nosed and competitive, I just want to really make it clear: The line is we are here to win the tournament and if we don't, we're going to ask 'why?'.

"It's a real shift in focus and ambition.

"Some of the signings we've managed to tick off in the last couple of weeks, I think outwardly shows that reset button and a new approach, so hopefully we're well set up."

Copeland joined the Thunder as general manager in February but he has followed the Thunder's fortunes closely for a number of years in his commentary role for Channel Seven and as Cricket NSW strategy and growth manager.

It was also the club he played one of his three career T20 matches for back in BBL|01.

He said "one of the most obvious things" that stood out to him in BBL|13 was, when under pressure, the team balance may not have been right.

"Was there (the right) amount of key senior figures to support 'Greeny' (captain Chris Green) and some of the younger players that we have at our disposal, like Ollie Davies, Jason Sangha, Matt Gilkes," Copeland said.

"Also for the bowlers – under pressure, heat of battle, you want good people and good understanding around you."

The former three-Test paceman also remains highly confident of securing the return of Australian great David Warner for a full BBL campaign following his international retirement.

Billings said he took the Thunder's three-year "investment" as a huge complement that he wanted to repay. 

"The on-field stuff is great, but the value of an overseas player is to add a huge amount off the field, to kind of be a cultural architect in some ways and play a small part in steering the ship in the right direction," Billings said.

"The quality at the Sydney Thunder, if you look down the names on the team sheet, it really is right up there.

"There's no reason why we can't be in finals cricket and going all the way."

The Thunder will be able to bring in at least two more overseas men's players to support Billings after securing picks 3, 13 (after trading pick 11 to Adelaide Strikers), 22 and 27.

Copeland said they had been "absolutely shafted" by the lottery after having the highest odds of landing pick one following their last place finish in BBL|13.

"I was excited at the prospect of landing No.1, but to be honest, in the landscape we live in within the BBL Draft, No.3 doesn't change our plans," he said.

"We've got a targeted skill set that were after and a really clear and obvious standout group at the top of our priority list, and I'm confident we'll get one of those regardless."