Brad Haddin Reshapes NSW Coaching Staff for 2026-27 Season
Brad Haddin has moved early and moved hard.
Weeks out from his first campaign in charge of the NSW men’s side, the former Test wicketkeeper has reshaped his backroom, luring Peter Siddle and Johan Botha into an expanded Blues coaching set-up for the 2026-27 season.
Haddin loads up on experience
Siddle, one of Australia’s most durable quicks of the modern era, has signed on as fast bowling coach and will be embedded with the group across the summer. He’s set to be a constant around the Blues, travelling through the entire Sheffield Shield program and working closely with a pace unit that has flattered without consistently dominating in recent years.
Botha, the former South Africa captain and most recently Queensland coach, comes in as a temporary spin bowling consultant as NSW tune up for the new campaign. His stint begins in the lead-up to the season opener: a One-Day Cup clash on September 22 against his old side.
It’s a striking double move. Two men who have seen the game from every angle, plugged straight into a squad Haddin wants to harden quickly.
“Peter and Johan joining the Blues set-up shows that we're committed to having high-quality people around the team,” Haddin said in a statement. “Not only does Peter bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, but he exemplifies how we want our cricketers to play the game. We're confident we have built a well-rounded coaching team ahead of what should be an exciting season for the Blues.”
Botha’s fresh start after Queensland exit
Botha’s arrival in Sydney comes off the back of a messy exit from Queensland in June, when he resigned despite having another year left on his contract. He later described the departure as “disappointing the way it ended” and added: “I think we were doing good stuff, and obviously the people at the top didn’t think that.”
Queensland quickly turned the page, appointing former Australia and Bulls allrounder James Hopes as head coach of both the Bulls and Brisbane Heat. Botha, meanwhile, has barely paused. He led NT Strike in Darwin’s Top End T20 tournament and linked up with the Netherlands coaching group during their push for ODI World Cup qualification.
Now he lands at NSW, tasked with sharpening a spin department that has long been a barometer of the Blues’ fortunes.
Siddle swaps new ball for notebook
For Siddle, this role marks one of his first formal steps into coaching after a playing career that stretched across more than two decades.
The 41-year-old retired from first-class and List A cricket in March last year but has refused to drift quietly into the background. He remains an active presence in T20 franchise leagues, including with Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, where he has been one of their standouts across the past two seasons with 28 wickets and a one-year extension for KFC BBL|16 to show for it.
He still regularly clocks above 140kph. The competitive fire clearly hasn’t dimmed.
Siddle had already hinted at a coaching future, spending his final years of state cricket mentoring Victoria’s emerging quicks. Now he formalises that transition in a state where fast bowling has long been a point of pride.
“I'm very much looking forward to the opportunity to mentor this talented crop of players ahead of what will be a massive summer,” Siddle said.
His playing record gives him instant authority. Two Sheffield Shield titles with Victoria. A mountain of 792 first-class wickets – the most by an Australian fast bowler since Michael Kasprowicz finished with 959 in 2008. On the international stage, 89 appearances for Australia, including 67 Tests and 221 Test wickets, before calling time on his national career in 2019.
A new-look brains trust
Siddle and Botha join a broadened coaching structure under Haddin that already includes new assistants Peter Forrest and Daniel Smith. It’s a clear statement: NSW are surrounding their squad with hardened, battle-tested voices.
Haddin wants his first season as head coach to carry a different edge. With Siddle’s relentlessness, Botha’s tactical nous and a refreshed support team around him, the Blues now have the kind of dressing-room brains trust that can change the course of a campaign.
Whether the players can match the pedigree of the coaches is the next question the season will answer.
