Unveiling All the Australian State Squads for the 2026-27 Season: Key Moves and New Faces
The conclusion of the 2025-26 Australian cricket season invariably shifts focus to the strategic preparations for the next summer. State teams across the nation have been busy reshaping their rosters, with a flurry of player movements, key retirements, and new contracts defining the domestic landscape. This in-depth analysis provides a complete breakdown of all the Australian state squads for the 2026-27 season, highlighting the significant changes that will undoubtedly influence the upcoming Sheffield Shield, One-Day Cup, and Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) campaigns.
New South Wales
Men
The New South Wales Blues men’s squad has experienced moderate turnover in the offseason, yet the changes are impactful. The departure of wicketkeeper-batter Matt Gilkes to South Australia represents a significant blow, given his regular presence in both red-ball and white-ball formats. However, this opens avenues for emerging talent under the leadership of new coach Brad Haddin. Western Australia pacer Bryce Jackson makes the move east, seeking more opportunities after being squeezed off WA’s list, having been primarily a white-ball specialist for them. Former Australia Under-19 star Harjas Singh has secured a rookie contract (R), indicating a strong belief in his potential. Meanwhile, Blake Nikitaras has headed to Queensland as an uncontracted player, and veteran Chris Tremain has announced his retirement from first-class cricket.
- Charlie Anderson (R)
- Sean Abbott
- Pat Cummins (CA)
- Joel Davies
- Ollie Davies
- Ben Dwarshuis
- Jack Edwards
- Ryan Hadley
- Liam Hatcher
- Josh Hazlewood (CA)
- Ryan Hicks
- Bryce Jackson
- Riley Kingsell
- Sam Konstas
- Nathan Lyon (CA)
- Nic Maddinson
- Jack Nisbet
- Kurtis Patterson
- Josh Philippe
- Will Salzmann
- Tanveer Sangha
- Jake Scott (R)
- Lachlan Shaw
- Harjas Singh (R)
- Steven Smith (CA)
- Mitchell Starc (CA)
- Charlie Stobo
- Adam Zampa (CA)
In: Bryce Jackson (WA), Harjas Singh
Out: Matt Gilkes (SA), Blake Nikitaras, Chris Tremain (retired)
Women
The NSW Breakers women’s team faces a major transition with the retirement of Australia skipper Alyssa Healy, leaving a significant void. To bolster their ranks, they have successfully recruited Emma Manix-Geeves from Tasmania. Jade Allen and Kate Pelle have not been offered new contracts, while the squad awaits clarity on Georgia Adams’ availability due to her commitments with Hampshire in England, which could further impact their depth.
- Samantha Bates
- Caoimhe Bray
- Maitlan Brown
- Erin Burns
- Lauren Cheatle
- Sarah Coyte
- Hannah Darlington
- Sienna Eve
- Lucy Finn (R)
- Tara French (R)
- Ashleigh Gardner (CA)
- Elsa Hunter
- Anika Learoyd
- Phoebe Litchfield (CA)
- Katie Mack
- Emma Manix-Geeves
- Claire Moore
- Frankie Nicklin
- Ellyse Perry (CA)
- Tahlia Wilson
In: Emma Manix-Geeves (Tasmania)
Out: Jade Allen, Alyssa Healy (retired), Kate Pelle
TBC: Georgia Adams (Hampshire)
Queensland
Men
Queensland’s Bulls have made a strategic move by luring experienced seamer Cameron Gannon back from Western Australia. His return is expected to be a vital addition, addressing the seam bowling depth issues that plagued the Bulls last season. Notable omissions from the contract list include Gurinder Sandhu, Benji Floros, and Max Bryant. Surprisingly, Australia A representative Zanden Jeh has also lost his contract despite his potential, having not featured for Queensland. A major shift sees veteran opener Usman Khawaja retire from domestic cricket, marking the end of an era for the Bulls.
- Tom Balkin
- Xavier Bartlett (CA)
- Hugo Burdon
- Jack Clayton
- Cameron Gannon
- Lachlan Hearne
- Hayden Kerr
- Marnus Labuschagne (CA)
- Angus Lovell
- Dylan McLachlan
- Michael Neser (CA)
- Jimmy Peirson
- Matthew Renshaw
- Jem Ryan
- Jack Sinfield
- Mark Steketee
- Tom Straker
- Mitchell Swepson
- Callum Vidler
- Hugh Weibgen
- Tom Whitney
- Jack Wildermuth
- Tom Campbell (R)
- Steven Hogan (R)
- Charlie Lachmund (R)
- Oli Patterson (R)
In: Cameron Gannon (WA), Dylan McLachlan, Oli Patterson, Steven Hogan, Tom Campbell, Charlie Lachmund
Out: Gurinder Sandhu, Zanden Jeh, Benji Floros, Lachy Aitken, Max Bryant, Usman Khawaja (retired)
Women
The Queensland Fire women’s squad sees Laura Harris omitted from the contract list following her loss of a regular place in Queensland’s WNCL side last season. Promising talent Ruby Strange has made the move to Western Australia, creating space for new faces. The Fire have brought in a host of new players, looking to inject fresh energy into their lineup for the upcoming season.
- Lily Bassingthwaighte
- Bonnie Berry
- Lucy Bourke
- Grace Collins
- Sianna Ginger
- Lilli Hamilton
- Lucy Hamilton (CA)
- Nicola Hancock
- Grace Harris (CA)
- Jess Jonassen
- Charli Knott
- Annie O’Neil
- Grace Parsons
- Georgia Redmayne
- Georgia Voll (CA)
- Catherine White
- Lauren Winfield-Hill
- Mikayla Wrigley
- Rookies: Aya, Kato-Stafford (R)
- Filippa SueSee (R)
In: Grace Collins, Lilli Hamilton, Catherine White, Aya Kato-Stafford, Filippa SueSee
Out: Ruby Strange (WA), Laura Harris
South Australia
Men
South Australia has pulled off a significant coup, securing the return of Cricket Australia (CA) contracted opener Jake Weatherald to Adelaide, despite him having two years remaining on his Tasmanian contract. This move significantly strengthens their top order. They have also acquired NSW wicketkeeper-batter Matt Gilkes, bolstering their keeping depth, especially with Alex Carey anticipated to be on Test duty for much of the next season. Allrounder Noah McFadyen has been rewarded for his dominant grade form, and Jerrssis Wadia joins after a breakout Big Bash League (BBL) season. Conversely, Shield-winning opener Conor McInerney and experienced batter Daniel Drew have both lost their contracts, marking a shift in the Redbacks’ batting strategy.
- Wes Agar
- Jordan Buckingham
- Alex Carey (CA)
- Brendan Doggett (CA)
- Jake Fraser‑McGurk
- Matthew Gilkes
- Travis Head (CA)
- Henry Hunt
- Hanno Jacobs
- Spencer Johnson
- Jake Lehmann
- Ben Manenti
- Nathan McAndrew
- Noah McFadyen
- Nathan McSweeney
- Harry Nielsen
- Lloyd Pope
- Henry Thornton
- Campbell Thompson
- Jason Sangha
- Liam Scott
- Mackenzie Harvey
- Jerrssis Wadia
- Jake Weatherald (CA)
- Thomas Brown (R)
- Kane Halfpenny (R)
- Douwtjie Hoogenboezem (R)
- Hayden Schiller (R)
In: Matthew Gilkes (NSW), Noah McFadyen, Jerrssis Wadia, Jake Weatherald (Tasmania), Thomas Brown, Kane Halfpenny, Hayden Schiller
Out: Conor McInerney, Daniel Drew, Thomas Kelly, Aidan Cahill, Harry Matthias
Women
The South Australian Scorpions women’s squad remains unchanged for the 2026-27 season, a testament to stability despite finishing fourth in the WNCL last season. Jemma Barsby continues to lead the side, which boasts three CA contracted players in the formidable trio of Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, and Megan Schutt, providing a strong core for their campaign.
- Hollie Armitage
- Jemma Barsby
- Darcie Brown (CA)
- Maggie Clark (R)
- Emma De Broughe
- Emmerson Filsell
- Ellie Johnston
- Eleanor Larosa
- Isabella Malgioglio
- Tahlia McGrath (CA)
- Courtney Neale
- Bridget Patterson
- Maddie Penna
- Kate Peterson
- Megan Schutt (CA)
- Courtney Webb
- Amanda-Jade Wellington
- Ella Wilson
- Elizabeth Worthley
In: None
Out: None
Tasmania
Men
Tasmania faces the significant loss of Jake Weatherald to South Australia, though his potential Test duties might have limited his Shield availability regardless. Seamer Kieran Elliott has also moved to Western Australia. However, the Tigers welcome back Ben McDermott, who played last season as an uncontracted player after his return from Queensland. Nikhil Chaudhary earns a full-time contract after emerging as a key multi-format player last year. Additionally, Teague Wyllie makes the switch from WA, seeking greater opportunities to establish himself within the Tasmanian setup.
- Marcus Bean
- Gabe Bell
- Jackson Bird
- Iain Carlisle
- Nikhil Chaudhary
- Jake Doran
- Nathan Ellis (CA)
- Brad Hope
- Caleb Jewell
- Matthew Kuhnemann (CA)
- Raf MacMillian
- Caelan Maladay
- Ben McDermott
- Riley Meredith
- Lawrence Neil-Smith
- Mitch Owen
- Will Prestwidge
- Nivethan Radhakrishnan
- Jordan Silk
- Billy Stanlake
- Tim Ward
- Beau Webster (CA)
- Teague Wyllie
- Kasey Barton (R)
- Zac Curtain (R)
- Aidan O’Connor (R)
- Nitesh Samuel (R)
- William Taylor (R)
In: Teague Wyllie (WA), Caelan Maladay, Nikhil Chaudhary, Ben McDermott, Kasey Barton, Nitesh Samuel, William Taylor
Out: Jake Weatherald (SA), Kieran Elliott (WA), Mac Wright, Charlie Wakim
Women
The Tasmanian Tigers women’s squad has made some significant international and interstate additions. They have signed England allrounder Alice Davidson-Richards from Surrey as an overseas player, bringing valuable multi-format experience. From interstate, they welcome wicketkeeper-batter Kate Pelle, who was NSW’s leading run-scorer last season, and Ella Hayward, Victoria’s player of the year in 2024-25 and an Australia A representative. These acquisitions are crucial, especially with Emma Manix-Geeves moving to NSW and Amy Smith being left off the contract list.
- Nicola Carey (CA)
- Alice Davidson-Richards
- Maisy Gibson
- Ella Hayward
- Ruth Johnston
- Sara Kennedy
- Lizelle Lee
- Caity Mair
- Kate Pelle
- Tabatha Saville
- Hayley Silver-Holmes
- Courtney Sippel
- Lauren Smith
- Naomi Stalenberg
- Rachel Trenaman
- Elyse Villani
- Callie Wilson
- Ava Curtis (R)
- Mia Barwick (R)
In: Kate Pelle (NSW), Ella Hayward (VIC), Alice Davidson-Richards (ENG), Caity Mair
Out: Kathryn Bryce, Amy Smith, Emma Manix-Geeves (NSW)
Victoria
Men
Victoria’s men’s squad, runners-up in the Shield last season, largely maintains its core. However, the most notable aspect is the absence of Matt Short from a state contract. Short has opted to pursue freelance T20 opportunities following the loss of his CA deal, though he will remain available for Shield and One-Day cricket when not overseas. Similarly, Glenn Maxwell is open to playing state One-Day cricket despite having retired from ODIs and not being on a CA contract. Xavier Crone and Callum Stow have been left off the list but remain in contention for selection, while Jai Lemire has moved interstate.
- Austin Anlezark
- Liam Blackford
- Scott Boland (CA)
- Dylan Brasher
- Ashley Chandrasinghe
- Harry Dixon
- Sam Elliott
- Peter Handscomb
- Sam Harper
- Marcus Harris
- Campbell Kellaway
- Blake Macdonald
- Cam McClure
- David Moody
- Todd Murphy (CA)
- Fergus O’Neill
- Oliver Peake
- Mitch Perry
- Tyler Pearson
- Tom Rogers
- Will Sutherland
- Doug Warre
- Harry Hoekstra (R)
- Tom Paddington (R)
- Aryan Sharma (R)
In: Harry Hoekstra, Tom Paddington, Aryan Sharma
Out: Xavier Crone, Jai Lemire, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Callum Stow
Women
Victoria’s women’s team also sees significant departures. Former Australia captain Meg Lanning has elected to go freelance, allowing her to play overseas at various points during the summer. Ella Hayward and Sasha Moloney have both headed to Tasmania, and Sophie Reid was not offered a contract. On a positive note, pace bowler Tayla Vlaeminck returns to the state list after losing her CA deal, providing a boost to the bowling attack.
- Ira Aery
- Sophie Day
- Samara Dulvin
- Nicole Faltum
- Tess Flintoff
- Kim Garth (CA)
- Hasrat Gill
- Olivia Henry
- Milly Illingworth
- Bronte Leishman (R)
- Rhys McKenna
- Sophie Molineux (CA)
- Indigo Noble
- Mia Perrin
- Georgia Prestwidge
- Zoe Samuel
- Molly Strano
- Annabel Sutherland (CA)
- Tayla Vlaeminck
- Georgia Wareham (CA)
In: Ira Aery, Zoe Samuel, Mia Perrin
Out: Meg Lanning, Ella Hayward (Tas), Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid
Western Australia
Men
Western Australia’s men’s squad has navigated the challenge of accommodating Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris, who both lost their CA central contracts but remain valuable assets for WA. They have brought in seamer Kieran Elliott from Tasmania to bolster their pace options. However, they lose Bryce Jackson, their leading one-day wicket-taker last season, and batter Teague Wyllie, who has moved to Tasmania for more opportunities. A notable departure is Cameron Gannon, WA’s 2025-26 player of the season, who returns to Queensland for family reasons.
- Cameron Bancroft
- Mahli Beardman
- Simon Budge (R)
- Hilton Cartwright
- Cooper Connolly
- Brody Couch
- Kieran Elliott
- Albert Esterhuysen (R)
- Sam Fanning
- Jayden Goodwin
- Cameron Green (CA)
- Aaron Hardie
- Liam Haskett
- Josh Inglis (CA)
- Will Malajczuk
- Mitchell Marsh (CA)
- Tom Murray
- Lance Morris
- Joel Paris
- Jordan Quiggin (R)
- Jhye Richardson
- Corey Rocchiccioli
- Ashton Turner
- Corey Wasley (R)
- Sam Whiteman
In: Kieran Elliott (Tasmania), Will Malajczuk, Tom Murray
Out: Keaton Critchell, Cameron Gannon, Baxter Holt, Bryce Jackson, Teague Wyllie, Matt Kelly
Women
The Western Australia women’s team welcomes pace bowler Ruby Strange, who has made the interstate switch from Queensland, having impressed for Perth Scorchers in the WBBL. Left-arm spinner Charis Bekker has stepped away from cricket to pursue further education in the US. WA boasts a strong contingent of CA contracted players, including Chloe Ainsworth, Heather Graham, Alana King, and Beth Mooney, providing significant experience and talent to the squad.
- Chloe Ainsworth (CA)
- Zoe Britcliffe
- Mathilda Carmichael
- Maddy Darke
- Amy Edgar
- Heather Graham (CA)
- Mikayla Hinkley
- Ebony Hoskin
- Alana King (CA)
- Shay Manolini
- Rebecca McGrath
- Ines McKeon
- Lilly Mills
- Beth Mooney (CA)
- Taneale Peschel
- Chloe Piparo
- Ruby Strange
- Maddie White
- Tegan Williamson
- Chloe Bartholomew (R)
In: Ruby Strange (Queensland), Tegan Williamson, Chloe Bartholomew
Out: Charis Bekker, Piepa Cleary (retired)
As the countdown to the 2026-27 season begins, these squad adjustments across all states paint a compelling picture of ambition, strategic planning, and the continuous evolution of Australian domestic cricket. The blend of seasoned veterans, promising rookies, and impactful interstate transfers promises an enthralling summer of competition across all formats, with each team vying for supremacy and players eager to make their mark.
