NSW, Sydney Sixers to Part Ways With Greg Shipperd After Current Season
New South Wales and the Sydney Sixers will part ways with veteran coach Greg Shipperd at the end of the domestic season, bringing to a close one of the most influential coaching tenures in Australian cricket.
Shipperd, who turns 70 in November, was re-signed last year on a two-year deal to coach both NSW and the Sixers through to the end of the 2026–27 season. However, Cricket NSW has decided this season will be his last in both roles. He will step down immediately as Sixers coach, while remaining in charge of the NSW Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup teams until the end of the summer.
The decision comes despite Shipperd guiding the Sixers to last week’s Big Bash League final and positioning NSW within reach of finals contention in both domestic competitions, with four Shield rounds and three One-Day Cup rounds remaining.
Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon said the call was difficult but necessary, citing concerns around the team’s style of play and its ability to consistently win key matches.
“I believe Greg and his coaching team have done a really good job of stabilising our side after a couple of difficult seasons,” Germon said. “But in my view, it’s time for us to go up another level and consistently win matches and titles. This season we’ve actually lost more matches than we’ve won, and it’s been the manner of some of those losses that’s been most concerning.”
Germon pointed specifically to NSW’s three Sheffield Shield defeats against Victoria (twice) and Tasmania as pivotal in the decision.
“What I saw was a style and pattern of play that did not fill me with confidence that we were going to consistently win matches moving forward,” he said. “With a number of young players coming through, now is the right time for them to be exposed to a different coaching style.”
Germon also confirmed that the impending move toward private investment in the Big Bash League played no role in the decision, despite Western Australia recently splitting its state and franchise coaching roles ahead of potential private ownership.
Shipperd leaves the Sixers having coached the club to five finals appearances and two BBL titles. However, the Sixers have not won a championship in five years and have lost three finals in that period.
“We’ve done well to make finals,” Germon said. “But the question for me was whether we could cross the line and win them.”
Shipperd did not hide his disappointment, saying he was eager to see out the remainder of his contract.
“My contract was to conclude at the end of the 2026–27 season, and I’m incredibly disappointed that I won’t have the opportunity to honour that commitment,” Shipperd said. “I’m extremely proud of my coaching team and the foundation we’ve built for the next generation of players.”
Widely regarded as the godfather of Australian cricket coaching, Shipperd has been a central figure in the domestic game for more than five decades. After making his Sheffield Shield debut in 1977–78, he went on to coach Tasmania, Victoria, Melbourne Stars, NSW and the Sixers, winning multiple Shield, one-day and Big Bash titles along the way.
His influence extends well beyond results. Shipperd has coached generations of players and mentors, including current Australia coach Andrew McDonald, batting coach Michael Di Venuto and Victoria coach Chris Rogers.
Since taking charge of NSW in 2022, initially in an interim role, Shipperd oversaw steady improvement. The Blues rose from last in the Shield in 2022–23 to third in 2023–24 and fourth in 2024–25, while also reaching the One-Day Cup final in 2023–24. Under his watch, emerging talents such as Sam Konstas and Jack Edwards earned international debuts.
“Progress is being made,” Shipperd said earlier this year. “The next step is winning those crunch games more often. We’re chasing that aggressively.”
Despite that progress, Cricket NSW has opted for change, marking the end of a decorated era for one of the most influential coaches in Australian cricket history.