Drained Renegades 'ran out of steam' for finals: Duffin

Jess Duffin admitted the Melbourne Renegades were left drained after a long tournament on the road away from Victoria but refused to make excuses after a Weber WBBL|07 campaign that promised much was firmly extinguished by the Adelaide Strikers in Thursday's knockout match.

The Renegades finished the season in second position on the ladder behind the Perth Scorchers, after losing their final two group matches and their chance to claim the direct path into the decider.

They ran into a Strikers outfit at the peak of their powers at Adelaide Oval in the Challenger final, with their long batting line-up restricted to 8-83 before Adelaide reached their target in just 10.5 overs and with nine wickets in hand.

An apparent foot injury to captain and Australia star Sophie Molineux added to the Renegades' troubles.

The allrounder did not bat but did bowl two overs and was on the field throughout the Strikers' chase, with coach Simon Helmot revealing on air she had been wearing a 'moon boot' in the lead-up to the match.

The exact nature of the complaint is not yet known but could have ramifications for Australia's upcoming Ashes and ODI World Cup campaigns early next year if it is serious.

The Renegades’ charge towards finals started to stall when a washout against the Melbourne Stars left them a 10-day break without playing. Their next game saw them just edge out the Sydney Thunder, before the losses to the Hobart Hurricanes and Brisbane Heat.

The Renegades were one of three teams to play in every city that hosted WBBL matches this season, travelling from Hobart to Launceston, Perth, Adelaide, Mackay and back to Adelaide.

The core of their squad also went through a fortnight in hotel quarantine to leave Victoria – unlike fellow finals sides Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide – and they made finals despite losing star leg-spinner Georgia Wareham to a ruptured ACL early in the season.

"It's been a long tournament for us, we're the only team in the top four that went through the whole quarantine period down in Hobart," Duffin said following Thursday's nine-wicket defeat.

"To then travel the whole country without being able to go back to Melbourne.

"Without using that as an excuse, I think we were all a little drained by the end of it.

"The steam kind of ran out but I'm still really proud of the group.

"To get through being away for so long, and having Australia and India players who've been away (even longer), it's been a long couple of months for a few people in our squad and I'm just really proud we got a chance to play in a final."

Duffin was in a unique experience through the tournament as she travelled with one-year-old daughter Georgia. Her husband Chris was able to be with his family throughout their quarantine in Hobart but had to return to Melbourne for work when the competition moved on.

The former Australia batter made a point of praising and thanking the league, the Renegades, her teammates and opposition players for their support as she and Georgia navigated their way around Australia, while mic'd up on broadcast.

"For me personally, it's been pretty tough," Duffin reflected further following the game, as she reiterated her desire to continue playing for the Renegades in WBBL|08.

"It's been a long seven weeks for Georgie and I but I've just been really appreciative for the whole competition, the Melbourne Renegades and support staff, they've really helped me get through it and made sure that I can be there for them as well as Georgie."

While the rest of her Renegades teammates enjoy a break, Duffin will immediately turn her attention to the upcoming AFLW season where she will again don the Kangaroos jumper.

"I'll try and get back to training straightaway on Saturday, to get back to the group … I'm just keen to get back to them and now switch over to footy."

WBBL|07 Finals

The Eliminator: Adelaide Strikers beat Brisbane Heat by eight wickets

The Challenger: Melbourne Renegades lost to Adelaide Strikers by nine wickets

The Final: Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers | Optus Stadium | November 27 at 4.10pm local (7.10pm AEDT)

Grab your tickets or tune in on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo, the CA Live app or listen on ABC radio