New South Wales and the Sydney Sixers have decided to end their partnership with veteran coach Greg Shipperd, even though his contract extends until the close of the 2026-27 season. Shipperd, who celebrates his 70th birthday in November, received a two-year extension to lead both teams. Despite steering the Sixers to the Big Bash League final last week and placing New South Wales in contention for Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup finals—with four and three rounds left, respectively—authorities informed him that this marks his last season in both positions.
Shipperd departs the Sixers role right away, after guiding the team to five finals appearances, including the most recent one, and securing two championships. He continues as head coach for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup through the season’s conclusion.
Reasons for the Change
Cricket New South Wales chief executive Lee Germon described the move as challenging but necessary for long-term success. “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,” Germon stated.
Shipperd expressed clear frustration over the outcome. “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 said. “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.”
Shipperd’s Illustrious Coaching Career
Shipperd stands as a cornerstone of Australian cricket coaching, launching his tenure with Tasmania in the 1990s following a distinguished playing career as an opening batter for Western Australia and Tasmania. He debuted in the Sheffield Shield during the 1977-78 season and has shaped domestic cricket across five decades.
Over 11 years with Tasmania, he led the side to three Shield finals. His decade at Victoria yielded four Sheffield Shield titles, one One-Day Cup victory, and four state Big Bash successes. Shipperd also helmed the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League’s inaugural four seasons, reaching the finals each time, before joining the Sixers and fostering a era of consistent achievements.
His impact extends to mentoring key figures in Australian cricket. Shipperd coached current national team head coach Andrew McDonald during their time at Victoria, as well as Australia’s batting coach Michael Di Venuto at Tasmania. He guided Victoria’s present coach Chris Rogers and numerous assistant coaches and high-performance staff active in the domestic setup today. Notably, he has worked with players like David Boon and emerging talent Sam Konstas.
Progress Under Shipperd at New South Wales
Shipperd stepped in as interim coach for New South Wales in 2022 after the dismissal of Phil Jacques, earning the full-time position at the 2022-23 season’s end. Under his leadership, the team showed steady gains. After finishing last in the Sheffield Shield in 2022-23, New South Wales rose to third place in 2023-24 and fourth in 2024-25. They reached the One-Day Cup final in 2023-24, falling to Western Australia on home soil, and secured third position the following season.
Shipperd remained optimistic about the team’s trajectory and his role in nurturing future stars. Youngster Sam Konstas earned a Test debut in December 2024, while captain Jack Edwards debuted internationally in the first T20I against Pakistan in Lahore on Thursday. “Progress is being made,” Shipperd noted in June. “The next step for us is to win those crunch games more often than we did, in particular at the back end of last year. We need to put in place that next six or seven Australian players [like those] that have been sitting in the Australian team for many years now. That’s the challenge. We’re chasing it aggressively.”
