Brad Haddin Reshapes New South Wales Cricket with Siddle and Botha
Brad Haddin has wasted no time putting his stamp on New South Wales, drafting in Peter Siddle and Johan Botha as the Blues reshape their backroom for the 2026-27 season.
The first-time NSW men's coach has moved aggressively, turning to two former international teammates to sharpen the edges of a squad desperate to reassert itself in domestic cricket.
Siddle steps straight into the firing line
Siddle, one of Australia's great workhorse quicks of the modern era, has signed on as fast-bowling coach and will be a constant presence around the group. He is set to travel with the Blues throughout the season and work across all Sheffield Shield fixtures.
For a man who only stepped away from first-class and List A cricket in March last year, the transition feels like a natural progression rather than a farewell tour. At 41, Siddle is still charging in with the zeal of a rookie. He continues to feature in T20 leagues around the world and remains a key figure for Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League.
The numbers back it up. Across the past two BBL seasons he has taken 28 wickets and regularly pushed his speeds beyond 140kph, form that earned him a one-year extension for KFC BBL|16. Now he brings that same relentlessness to a dressing room full of emerging quicks.
Siddle had already hinted that coaching would be his next act, quietly mentoring Victoria’s next generation of fast bowlers in his final years of state cricket. This NSW role ranks among his first formal coaching appointments and represents a significant step into life beyond the new ball.
His playing résumé carries serious weight: two Sheffield Shield titles with Victoria, 792 first-class wickets across more than two decades, and 67 Tests for Australia yielding 221 wickets. Among Australian fast bowlers, only Michael Kasprowicz, who finished with 959 first-class wickets in 2008, has taken more at that level.
"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, framing the move as the start of a new chapter rather than a nostalgia piece.
Botha returns in advisory role
At the other end of the bowling spectrum, Johan Botha has been brought in as a temporary spin-bowling consultant as NSW tune up for the new campaign. His stint will centre on preparations for the season opener, a One-Day Cup clash on September 22 against his former side, Queensland.
Botha’s arrival comes off the back of a turbulent exit from Queensland, where he resigned as coach in June despite having a year left on his deal. He told News Corp it was "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 moved quickly to reset, appointing former Australia and Queensland allrounder James Hopes as head coach of both the Bulls and Brisbane Heat. Botha, meanwhile, has barely paused. He recently coached NT Strike in Darwin's Top End T20 tournament and joined Netherlands' coaching staff during their push for ODI World Cup qualification.
Now he drops into the Blues set-up with a short, sharp brief: refine NSW’s spin options before the first ball of the season is bowled.
Haddin builds his inner circle
For Haddin, these appointments are about more than just specialist coaching. They are a statement about the standards he expects.
"Peter and Johan joining the Blues set-up shows that we're committed to having high-quality people around the team," Haddin said. "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."
Siddle and Botha join an expanded structure under Haddin that already includes new assistants Peter Forrest and Daniel Smith. It is a coaching group thick with playing experience, varied backgrounds and strong views on how elite cricket should look.
NSW have rarely been short of talent. Now, with Haddin surrounding that talent with hardened international campaigners, the question is no longer whether the Blues have the tools.
It’s how quickly this new brain trust can turn potential into trophies.
