Melbourne Renegades have rewarded leg-spinner Michael Archer with his first full BBL contract, signing the Victorian ahead of BBL|16.
Archer earns first full Renegades contract
After joining the club as a replacement player late in BBL|15 and making his Big Bash debut against Adelaide Strikers, Archer has secured his place on the Renegades' list following strong performances through the club's Academy program and Victorian pathway system.
The 29-year-old becomes the first BBL player signed since the contracting embargo lifted on Thursday morning. Each club can carry up to 18 players in its primary squad, with Archer becoming the Renegades' 10th contracted player for BBL|16.
A product of Carlton Cricket Club, Archer has enjoyed a breakout 18 months. He represented the Renegades Academy at the Melbourne T10 Invitational in 2025, finishing as the competition's leading wicket-taker, including best figures of 5-11.
His development continued in Darwin, where he featured in the Renegades' 2025 Top End T20 squad before returning to the tournament this week with Victoria. On Thursday, Archer produced one of the standout performances of the competition, claiming a hat-trick and figures of 4-13 from 3.4 overs against Northern Territory Strike.
Archer made his BBL debut in the club's final match of BBL|15 after being called into the squad as a replacement player for Adam Zampa.
Archer joins a Renegades list that continues to take shape ahead of BBL|16, with clubs now able to sign players directly following the removal of the overseas player draft and the return to an open market contracting system.
Meanwhile, Renegades captain Will Sutherland has continued his strong form in Darwin, scoring 137 runs at 68.5 and a strike rate of 171.25 across four innings while also claiming three wickets for Victoria in the Top End T20 competition.
Melbourne Renegades BBL|16 Squad
Head Coach: Luke Ronchi
Contracted for BBL|16Michael Archer (contracted until BBL|16), Jason Behrendorff (BBL|17), Josh Brown (BBL|17), Harry Dixon (BBL|16), Brendan Doggett (BBL|16), Jake Fraser-McGurk (BBL|17), Caleb Jewell (BBL|16), Ollie Peake (BBL|17), Tom Rogers (BBL|16), Will Sutherland (BBL|17)
UncontractedSam Elliott, Hassan Khan (Pakistan), Muhammad Rizwan (Pakistan), Nathan Lyon, Will Salzmann, Gurinder Sandhu, Tim Seifert (New Zealand), Matthew Spoors, Callum Stow, Adam Zampa
InMichael Archer
OutFergus O'Neill (Sydney Sixers), Andrew Tye (retired)