New South Wales and the Sydney Sixers have confirmed Greg Shipperd will step away from both coaching posts when the current campaign wraps up, despite the veteran mentor having another season left on his deal.
Shipperd, who turns 70 in November, signed a two-year extension only last winter and was nominally secured until the close of 2026-27. In practical terms, that agreement now runs out in a few months. He will guide the Blues through the remaining Sheffield Shield and Marsh One-Day Cup fixtures, but hands the Sixers clipboard to an interim successor immediately.
Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon admitted the decision was hard, but felt the timing was right. “Decisions to change key personnel are never easy, but we felt it was time to move in a new direction to give the Blues and Sixers the best chance to win titles,” he said.
Shipperd, never one to hide his feelings, expressed obvious frustration. “My contract was to conclude at the end of the 2026/27 season and so I’m incredibly disappointed that I will not have the opportunity to honour my commitment and continue to develop the wonderful young players I have been working with,” he responded. A second, calmer sentence followed in the same statement: “I am extremely proud of my coaching team for building the foundation of a new generation and I wish them all success beyond my time here.”
On the surface the move looks odd. Only last week the Sixers reached another Big Bash League final under Shipperd, their fifth in his eight-season tenure, and remain in realistic contention for the Shield decider with four rounds to go. Internally, though, Cricket NSW believes the squad has plateaued; fresh voices, the argument goes, might squeeze a little more from a talented but ageing core.
Shipperd’s coaching CV is difficult to fault. After 17 summers as an opening batter for Western Australia and Tasmania, he slipped naturally into the head-coach role at the latter in the early 1990s. Eleven seasons brought three Shield final appearances, a breakthrough One-Day crown and, importantly, a ferocious work ethic that many former pupils still credit.
He moved to Victoria in 2004 and built a dynasty: four Sheffield Shield titles, a domestic one-day triumph and four state-based Big Bash trophies in the pre-BBL era. The Melbourne Stars snapped him up for the first four national BBL campaigns, each ending in the finals. When Sydney called in 2015-16, he promptly landed two titles and has not missed a finals series since.
Those numbers are backed by the coaches he has shaped. Andrew McDonald, now in charge of Australia, often references Shipperd’s attention to detail. Michael Di Venuto, Australia’s batting coach, echoes the sentiment. Chris Rogers, guiding Victoria these days, does likewise. It is part legacy, part living network; if Shipperd wants another job there will be takers.
Why, then, cut ties? A senior Blues administrator indicated performance metrics and succession planning both played a part. The Shield side finished bottom in 2022-23, rallied to mid-table last term and currently sit third. Improvement, but perhaps not at the pace expected. At Big Bash level the Sixers’ title window remains open, yet several senior players are nudging their mid-30s. The board appears keen on a coach with long-term rebuilding in mind.
Finding that person will be the next trick. Cricket NSW plans to split the roles permanently, mirroring most other states. An international search is imminent, although assistant coach Beau Casson—who has impressed with his quiet analytical style—will get a chance to pitch.
From the dressing-room the public noise has been muted. Most players are still digesting events while focusing on finals pushes. Privately some are disappointed; a couple feel the group could have squeezed one more campaign out of the current set-up. Others concede a fresh approach would not hurt. It is an honest mix, and unsurprising.
For Shipperd, attention now turns to the Blues’ last four Shield games. Win two and they are almost certain to reach the final, a stage the state has not visited since lifting the trophy in 2019-20. There is also a one-day semi-final on the horizon. Those matches suddenly carry extra emotional weight: part farewell tour, part resume enhancer.
Asked recently about retirement, Shipperd offered a wry smile and said he still woke up excited to plan sessions. He is unlikely to change that tune now. Whether next autumn finds him consulting, broadcasting or plotting another domestic revival somewhere else remains to be seen, but very few in Australian cricket believe this is the end.
What is clear is that the man who has guided the careers of everyone from David Boon to Sam Konstas will shortly hand over his beloved whiteboard. Given the résumé, you suspect he won’t be without a marker pen for long.
