Cricket NSW is proud to unveil the newly restructured Blues Academy for the 2025/26 season, reaffirming its commitment to developing the next generation of elite male cricketers.
New-Look Blues Academy Announced for 2025/26
The Academy has undergone significant changes to better reflect a professional, high-performance environment and strengthen its alignment with the NSW Blues.
This season, 33 players have been selected in the program which adopts a more streamlined, skill-based system. NSW selectors also have the flexibility to add up to seven additional players throughout the 2025/26 season, ensuring opportunities remain open for emerging talent who make strong performances.
The Academy has also moved away from age-based squads, instead grouping players by skill type, allowing for more tailored coaching and a better player-to-coach ratio. Importantly, the 19-23 age group has been re-established as a focus area, with four-day ‘Colts’ matches offering crucial experience for players on the cusp of elite cricket.
A unified coaching group now oversees all male programs from development to elite, with shared calendars, integrated training sessions, and regular crossover between pathway and Blues squads. Former NSW and Australian fast bowler Matthew Nicholson has recently joined the coaching staff. Nicholson played 85 first class matches in Australia for NSW and WA, taking 297 wickets.
Blues Head Coach Greg Shipperd said the revamped approach will give young players the strongest possible foundation.
"The Blues Academy promises to give identified players from all disciplines the very best preparation,” Shipperd said.
“Cricket NSW has great ambitions for all those in our care, and we are providing the best in facilities and resources to assist players in reaching their full potential.”
2025/26 Blues Academy
Baily Abela | Campbelltown Camden
Will Adlam | Mosman
Lachlan Bartlett | Northern District
Will Byrom | Northern District
Luke Callanan | Randwick Petersham
Xander Carstens | Northern District
Connor Cook | Gordon
Naden Cooray | Parramatta
Yash Deshmukh | Fairfield-Liverpool
Liam Doddrell | Penrith
Brock Fitton | Mosman
Cameron Frendo | Sydney University
Vivaan Gandhi | Gordon
Ryan Gupta | Parramatta
Will Hardy | Sydney University
Coby Holland | Fairfield-Liverpool
John James | Northern District
Lewis Keenan | St George
Alex Kerkham | Penrith
Alex Lee Young | Mosman
Angus McTaggart | Randwick Petersham
Blake Noorbergen | Parramatta
Connor O’Riordan | St George
Julian Osbourne | Manly-Warringah
Neel Patel | UNSW
Nitesh Samuel | Parramatta
Yuvraj Sharma | Fairfield-Liverpool
Rehaan Shyamsundar | Western Suburbs
Harjas Singh | Western Suburbs
Sumair Sira | Parramatta
Aarush Soni | Hawkesbury
Kye Thornley | Parramatta
Arnav Yadav | Sydney University
Coaching Staff
Greg Shipperd (Head Coach)
Ali de Winter (Senior Assistant)
Shawn Bradstreet (Fast Bowling Lead)
Nick Larkin (Batting Lead)
Jay Lenton (Fielding Lead)
Anthony Clark (Spin Bowling Lead)
Matthew Nicholson (Fast Bowling Coach)