Fergus O’Neill stays with Victoria after significant interstate interest as young gun Oliver Peake upgraded to the senior list
Glenn Maxwell and Matt Short have opted against taking Victorian contracts next season as the Sheffield Shield finalists retained a stable squad in their search for a first men’s title in a decade.
After falling short at the final hurdle four times in the past five seasons, including going down to South Australia in last season’s Shield final, Victoria have upgraded three players to the senior list and awarded three more rookie contracts in the only inclusions to their squad for 2026-27.
Star seamer Fergus O’Neill has recommitted after significant interest from Tasmania and NSW, with Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper and Campbell Kellaway also signing contract extensions.
Victoria men’s squad for 2026-27: Austin Anlezark, Liam Blackford, Scott Boland (CA), Dylan Brasher, Ashley Chandrasinghe, Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Blake Macdonald, Cam McClure, David Moody, Todd Murphy (CA), Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Mitch Perry, Tyler Pearson, Tom Rogers, Will Sutherland, Doug Warren. Rookies: Harry Hoekstra, Tom Paddington, Aryan Sharma
Ins: Austin Anlezark (upgraded rookie), Oliver Peake (upgraded rookie), Tyler Pearson (upgraded rookie), Harry Hoekstra, Tom Paddington, Aryan Sharma
Outs: Xavier Crone, Jai Lemire, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Callum Stow
Fast bowlers Sam Elliott and Mitch Perry have also been rewarded with fresh deals after finishing last Shield season among the competition’s top seven bowlers with 34 and 33 wickets respectively.
Teenage batting sensation Oliver Peake has been awarded his maiden full state contract after playing nine of 11 Sheffield Shield matches in his rookie season, with young quicks Austin Anlezark and Tyler Pearson also securing upgrades to the senior list.
Another promising paceman, left-armer Harry Hoekstra, is one of the three new rookies for next summer following an impressive 46-wicket season for Victoria’s Second XI and club side Casey South Melbourne, alongside Australia Under-19 representatives Aryan Sharma and Tom Paddington.
Sharma played all six of Australia’s U19 World Cup matches earlier this year, taking six wickets, and was part of the Stars BBL squad last summer as a replacement player, while Paddington played a Youth Test against India last year.
Meanwhile, Maxwell and Short will continue to represent Victoria when available but have opted not to take up state contracts after losing their Cricket Australia deals.
Short now lives on the Gold Coast with wife Madi, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, and their one-year-old son, but travelled to and from Victoria to play four Shield and five One-Day Cup matches last season.
The 30-year-old allrounder is currently with Chennai Super Kings and has played two matches this Indian Premier League season for scores of 2 and 34. Despite being dropped from Australia’s T20 World Cup squad on the eve of this year’s tournament, Short remains in the frame for white-ball internationals with tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa and home T20 and 50-over series against England scheduled during the first half of next domestic season.
Maxwell played two one-day matches for Victoria at the beginning of last summer prior to his Australian T20 commitments, hitting a 73-ball century in a losing cause against Queensland.
But having retired from one-day internationals following last year’s Champions Trophy, the 37-year-old lost his CA contract with the Australian men’s side to play just five T20Is during the upcoming contracting period.
Despite struggling for runs and wickets of late, he hopes to continue to represent Australia in the T20 format. He will also play on franchise leagues around the world, having recently finished a stint with beaten Pakistan Super League finalists Hyderabad Kingsmen.
He also signed a two-year extension with Melbourne Stars in January and will return to the United States for Washington Freedom’s Major League Cricket campaign as well as appearing in the new European T20 Premier League, in which he co-owns the Belfast-based Irish Wolves.
Scott Boland and off-spinner Todd Murphy are the two Victorians with CA contracts as the state reduced their list from 27 to 25 players.
Wicketkeeper-batter Jai Lemire is set to head south to Tasmania to play Premier Cricket in search of greater opportunities, while paceman Xavier Crone and left-arm spinner Callum Stow were not offered contracts but will continue to train alongside the Victorian squad.
David Hussey, Cricket Victoria’s head of men’s cricket, said they were pleased with the “stability and growth” of the group.
“While we didn’t get the ultimate reward last season, it was an impressive summer and one that showed the strength, resilience and character of this playing group,” Hussey said.
“There’s a strong core of experienced players who continue to set the standard, but what’s equally exciting is the young talent coming through our system.
“Players are earning their opportunities and continuing to push the group forward and represent Victoria with pride.”
Forgotten opener Ashley Chandrasinghe’s dominant summer with the Second XI and Premier club Casey South Melbourne, where he amassed 1,345 runs at 58, saw the 24-year-old retain his state contract despite not being able to break into the Victorian side last Shield season, with fellow left-hander Dylan Brasher, who bettered that tally with 1,498 runs at 50 for Victoria’s senior and Second XI sides, as well as his club team Footscray, also holding his spot on the list after making his first-class and domestic 50-over debuts.
