NSW preview: New brains trust leads Breakers' title defence

Incoming New South Wales coach Peter Clarke is taking a holistic approach to his new role, as he forms a fresh Breakers brains trust for season 2025-26 alongside newly appointed captain Lauren Cheatle.

Clarke, who served as the longtime Australia women's team psychologist before taking up the vacant head coaching role with the reigning Women's National Cricket League champions earlier this year, is bringing his unique expertise to the Breakers as they pursue a second-straight WNCL title.

While some pundits unfamiliar with Clarke's background might have been surprised by his career pivot, he has long combined coaching with his work as a sports psychologist.

"I've always loved coaching, and even though I'm a psychologist by trade and active in sports psychology in general, I never stopped coaching," Clarke told cricket.com.au.

"I coached the University of Queensland for the past decade or so, coaching men's first grade and the men's senior club and was the director of cricket there.

"So I kept my toe in the water in coaching, and in the Aussie team, while I was there as a psychologist and not a coach, you're always able to help out on the tools, so you throw balls in the nets (and) stay involved in all the performance conversations.

"It's all just helping people to maximise their potential, whether you're doing that as a psychologist or as a coach.

"For me, it all comes from the same place, so it wasn't that big of a switch."

The Breakers, who featured in every WNCL final from 1996-97 to 2019-20 and won 20 titles, snapped a five-year drought to collect title No.21 last season.

Clarke does not see taking over as coach of the reigning champions as added pressure, as he looks to get the best out of an exciting list that includes recent Australia A representatives Cheatle, Tahlia Wilson, Anika Learoyd and Maitlan Brown and the experience of Sam Bates, Sarah Coyte and the incoming Katie Mack.

"From one perspective, it's nice, you've got a good, talented group that's got the ability to compete and have shown they can win the whole thing," he said.

"In other ways, I guess some would look at that and go, 'Geez that's a lot of pressure – if you don't win, it's a step down from the year before'.

"But I don't see it like that – coaches don't win or lose games. Players win games, and what coaches are there to do is to create an environment and provide the resources to allow everybody to try and maximise their potential.

"I'm excited about the talent that we have. I don't think we'll get out-talented in any games that we play; we'll at least be equal every time we step on the park.

"It's about our preparation and our game awareness and the ability to compete, so that's the stuff we're going to try and focus on the best we can."

Appointing Cheatle as full-time captain was one of the first moves Clarke made after being appointed to the role, and he is excited to see what the 26-year-old will bring to the role alongside vice-captain Wilson.

England import Georgia Adams, who captained the team in 2024-25, will continue to lend her considerable experience to the group despite not holding a formal captaincy role.

"The timing is right for (Cheatle and Wilson) to take the group forward and lead," he said.

"Lauren's a student of the game, she's a cricket person – the way she moves, the way she speaks, and she understands the game really well.

"She's well respected and well-loved amongst the playing group and has good relationships within, and that really is useful – when she speaks people listen, she has the pulse of the group and can be a nice conduit between the coaching staff and the playing group to get a feel for what's going on within.

"Georgia did an amazing job as captain and as a leader in the group. She led the girls to a title, set new standards of professionalism and just spread her influence around the group as a pro, and we're still going to have that, leadership is not just a title."

2025-26 squad: Jade Allen, Sam Bates, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Hannah Darlington, Sienna Eve, Tara French, Ashleigh Gardner*, Alyssa Healy*, Elsa Hunter, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield*, Katie Mack, Claire Moore, Frankie Nicklin, Kate Pelle, Ellyse Perry*, Tahlia Wilson

Rookie: Caoimhe Bray

Ins: Ellyse Perry (Victoria), Katie Mack (ACT), Sam Bates, Frankie Nicklin, Tara French, Caoimhe Bray

Outs: Sammy-Jo Johnson (retired), Stella Campbell, Ebony Hoskin (WA), Lauren Kua

* Denotes Cricket Australia contract

Last season

WNCL: Champions

Possible XI for first match: Katie Mack, Tahlia Wilson (wk), Anika Learoyd, Elsa Hunter, Claire Moore, Maitlan Brown, Sarah Coyte, Lauren Cheatle, Caoimhe Bray, Frankie Nicklin, Sam Bates

Inside word with head coach Peter Clarke

The pre-season

New South Wales got creative during the preseason, with the playing group trying their hand at a variety of different sports in combination with their usual training.

The Breakers will also have seven practice games under their belts by the time the season starts, following a preseason trip to Queensland to play the Fire, South Australia and Tassie, followed by a pair of games against ACT Meteors at Cricket Central.

"It's a long preseason, considering we'll only play four games of WNCL before a big break and then coming back next year," Clarke said.

"Everybody's trying to get in the best physical shape they can early doors, but we've also spent some time thinking about some stuff that we call 'from the neck up'. So, how we're prioritising mental preparation, tactics, team dynamics, team culture – just anything that's not straight skills.

"We wanted to put a focus on that as well, and on getting out and about wherever we can to play different sports, to get off site and to have different experiences.

"There are just things to learn about yourself when you compete and you play different sports, whether it's kinaesthetic awareness in your body, or tactics or just understanding yourself under pressure. We've just tried to vary some of those experiences, one, to keep it fresh and two, to learn about yourself as a competitor. And then we discuss those themes and ideas and try to pull them back to the pitch and narrow down the focus as we get close to the games."

Injury update

While Hannah Darlington continues to recover from a knee injury, Clarke said the squad was generally in good health. 

"There are always a few injuries around in any squad, but in general, I think we're as healthy as you can expect," he said. "Everybody's going to have their injuries and niggles around the place, but we'll be ready to go come round one and we've got a big enough roster to put a competitive group on the park no matter what."

The arrival of Katie Mack

"It's a huge plus for the group. She's a quality performer, heaps of runs and experience, great trainer and high work ethic. She's pulled our standards up across all areas as well, because everybody wants to compete with the best, and you can either have someone who brings the group up or brings the group down. She certainly brings the group up with her professionalism, her work ethic, her skill level, her experience."

Young guns to watch

"Caoimhe Bray is obviously one - she played some games last year and she's got a full-time contract now.  Tara French is another one, a young fast bowler. She's really exciting - rips in, bowls quick, great work ethic. Frankie Nicklin is on a full deal this year, off-spinner, she's played a couple of WNCL games. Plenty of young players in our squad mixed in with bit of experience so looking forward to seeing them all get an opportunity."

WNCL Schedule

September 26 v Victoria, CitiPower Centre

September 28 v Victoria, CitiPower Centre

October 9 v Western Australia, Cricket Central

October 11 v Western Australia, Cricket Central

January 20 v ACT Meteors, EPC Solar Park, Canberra

January 22 v ACT Meteors, EPC Solar Park, Canberra

February 3 v Queensland, Cricket Central

February 5 v Queensland, Cricket Central

February 21 v Tasmania, Cricket Central

February 23 v Tasmania, Cricket Central

March 12 v South Australia, Adelaide Oval

March 14 v South Australia, Adelaide Oval