Sunshine Coast cricket first grade players to watch in 2025/26 season
The Sunshine Coast cricket season is back featuring a mix of new recruits, rising young guns and surprise packets to keep an eye on. See which players have been and will be key from every first grade club.
The rugby league, union, football and Aussie rules seasons are barely behind us but another season of top-grade Sunshine Coast cricket is underway.
The T20 fixtures are in full swing while the opening rounds of the two-day format has just begun.
Rain and poor weather hindered the 2024/25 season as Tewantin-Noosa claimed the T20 and One Day silverware before being beaten by Maroochydore in the two day grand final.
The 2024/25 team of the season was stacked full of fresh faces with only two players from the season prior earning back-to-back selection.
Nambour stalwart Steven Ledger led the way with the bat with 691 total runs in the regular season while Glasshouse captain Joel Owen claimed the bowling top gong with 36 wickets.
The 2025/26 season will be reduced back to an eight team competition with Palmwoods and Maroochydore’s second team moving back into division two while USC has merged with Nambour.
The eight club-format means each side will face each other in each format across the season.
2025/26 PLAYERS TO WATCH
JOEL OWEN (GLASSHOUSE)
Led the charge last season with the ball in hand taking 36 wickets in total with an average of 16.58.
The Glasshouse captain picked up 8 wickets in the T20 fixtures last season before doing his best work in the longer formats.
WILL CARLILE (CALOUNDRA)
Was a shining light for his side last season and really took charge with the bat in the T20 format.
Finished with an average of 57 from his five innings that included 21 fours and just one six.
KYLE SCHEEPERS and CHARLIE KRUGER (GLASSHOUSE)
Scheepers is set to bat at the top of the order for Glasshouse where he will be key in getting them off to a hot start.
Kruger will lead the bowling attack, hoping to chip away at the batsman and snag some early wickets in the powerplay.
BEN LAUGHLIN (TEWANTIN-NOOSA)
If the rumour mill is to be believed Laughlin will make his return to the Thunder.
A standout across all formats, Laughlin’s T20 performances in 2023/24 saw him move up the order with the bat and continued to shine with the ball.
LOCKE ROBINSON (MAROOCHYDORE)
Had a breakout year last year where he stood up to the plate with some match winning knocks in both the two-day semi-final and grand final.
Is coming into his own and can break a part a game with his power hitting.
COOPER KEOGH (GYMPIE)
Arguably one of the best young players on the Sunshine Coast, Keogh has earned his fair share of representative honours and will continue to compete against the competitions best.
A very handy pace bowler.
GLEN BATTICCIOTTO (CABOOLTURE)
Newly appointed Snakes captain is back again for his third or fourth ‘final season’ and after being knocked off his perch as the competitions leading run scorer last season, the former Bulls stars will be raring to go.
ALEX JAGO (CALOUNDRA)
Will return to Caloundra this season after spending some time in Western Australia.
Is set to charge into the Lighthouse bowling attack as a front line quick bowler.
STEVEN LEDGER (NAMBOUR/USC)
Was far and away the best and most consistent batter of first grade last season, bringing up 691 runs from 21 innings and cracking 10,000 career total career runs.
Will prove as a vital mentor for his teammates as he hopes to continue to lead the charge with the bat.
ADAM GOODWIN (COOLUM)
It’s looking more and more likely Goodwin will reclaim his crown as Coolum’s leading run scorer this season after recording 472 runs from 15 innings in 2024/25.
Just 20 of those runs were in the T20 format where he only featured on two occasions.
JOSH BRADY (GYMPIE)
Brady will be a force with the ball as always, lending his experience and coaching knack to his young quartet of Gold bowling attack.
His consistency and class against the competition’s top batsman will be vital.
ETHAN WALSH and SAM REMEDIOS (NAMBOUR/USC)
Both players have been welcomed additions to the Nambour and USC merger, stepping up into first grade for the 2024/25 season.
Walsh, a handy left arm off spinner, collected 31 wickets in second grade last season, finishing as the competitions best bowler while Remedios finished as the leading batsman in second grade, recording 520 runs from 13 innings.
TONY PERREN (COOLUM)
‘Gandalf’ is back for another season with the Sharks as he continues to age like fine wine.
Was a threat every time he touched the ball last season, taking a handy 6/41 against Palmwoods.
LUKE MCINNES and BLAINE SCHLOSS (MAROOCHYDORE)
The power duo of Maroochydore will no doubt have a major impact on the Swans performances throughout the season.
Have both been consistent stars across all formats and their composure out in the middle will keep them in good stead.
BARRY BESTER (CALOUNDRA)
Has made the move from Palmwoods is will be a handy addition to the Caloundra 11 as a key all rounder.
Extra consistency with both bat and ball will be a key focus.
JARROD OFFICER (TEWANTIN-NOOSA)
Is only getting better and better.
In his last seven seasons he’s just half a dozen short of 4,000 runs at 31.4, with eight centuries, and a career tally of 8,830.
Didn’t fire as well as he’d liked in the T20’s last season but with an eye on finishing his career in five digits he’ll be making an almighty push.
CARTER SIMPSON (CABOOLTURE)
Has played a handful of seasons for the Snakes in the top grade but Simpson really started to come into his own in 2024/25.
Will look to take another major step forward this season.
JARRYD TAIG (COOLUM)
Leads the way for the batters through the opening rounds with 237 runs from six innings.
Taig showed last year he can punish poor bowling and has backed up his form with 12 sixes (tied most) and 22 fours.
LEWIS WAUGH (GYMPIE)
Will make a permanent return to the club this season after representing Tewantin-Noosa for the past few years.
Waugh only featured in two matches for Gympie in 2024/25 but the season prior for Tewantin-Noosa he recorded 983 runs, finishing second for first grade run scorers.
FINN BRYAN (GLASSHOUSE)
After being awarded the top Glasshouse senior cricketer last season and following up his efforts with a solid season in England, Bryan will be one that looks to be aggressive in attack from the get go.
After a strong debut season in green and gold, averaging 33.09 with the bat and 18.11 with the ball, the all-rounder will be aiming to go one better next summer at Steve Irwin Way.
JEAN-LUC TALBOT (CALOUNDRA)
An aggressive top-order bat and wicket keeper, Talbot was the top run scorer for Mt Eliza Cricket Club in the 2024/25 Mornington Peninsula League.
Hailing from Durban, South Africa, Talbot will be a key player to keep an eye on this season as he also lends a hand as assistant junior coach.
NATHAN RODERICK (GYMPIE)
Another Gympie young gun that continues to grow in confidence, Roderick has made himself known as a handy all rounder.
Batting at five or six in the order he should be able to make the most of his chances later on in the innings and is one of the competitions best fielders.
JOHN TURNBULL and BRAIDYN SCOTT (NAMBOUR/USC)
Turnbull made a triumphant official return to the Cutters last season where he earned a spot in the team of the year after recording 538 runs from 17 innings.
Scott, a crafty wicketkeeper, is set to shift up the order where he should see a lot more ball and make the most of his opportunities.
TOM OLSEN (MAROOCHYDORE)
Was a standout performer across all formats last year, which saw him recognised as the Ashley Noffke Medallist for the SCCA competition.
Possesses pace and swing, which when combined with the prowess of Luke McInnes, forms a strong bowling foundation for the team.
MICHAEL ECKARD (TEWANTIN-NOOSA)
Notched up another standout season in 2024/25 and will be a key figure with both bat and ball this season.
The Tewantin-Noosa skipper fell just eight runs short of 500 last season while also picking up 32 wickets.
Finished second for most runs (220) and most wickets (11) for the early season T20 format.
JACOB DENNIEN (TEWANTIN-NOOSA)
Has started the season with a bang, taking 13 wickets through five T20 matches.
Has created a fierce bowling attack alongside captain Michael Eckard who leads the competition with 15 wickets.
MITCH BUCKLEY (CABOOLTURE)
A new recruit for the Snakes from Sandgate, Buckley will add some serious pace for the Caboolture bowling attack.
Should standout and lead the charge amongst a young side.
TRENT PARK (CALOUNDRA)
Led the charge for Caloundra last where he ended up with 410 runs from his 18 innings that included 44 fours, 16 sixes and four half centuries.
Will be relied upon at the top of the order.
JARED SIPPEL (GYMPIE)
Sippel will make a permanent return to the Gold this season and will no doubt be a key driving force in getting them on the right track each week.
After debuting for the club back in 2015, Sippel has kicked on to state and national representation before picking up a first grade premier cricket premiership with Western Suburbs.
DAINE SMITH and STEPHAN SCHEEPERS (COOLUM)
After Smith proved himself as a standout in third and second grade last season, the damaging big hitter was promoted into the top side where he played five innings.
He will look to establish his power hitting against the competitions best bowlers across the coming weeks.
By all reports Scheepers is hitting the ball as clean as possible in the pre-season and will form a great partnership at the top of the order.
BROCK TOPFER (GLASSHOUSE)
A handy player with both bat and ball, Topfer will head to the crease later in the innings but try to finish off with solid momentum.
He will be called into action through the middle overs with a good economy rate and some sneaky wickets.
CALLUM STITT (MAROOCHYDORE)
Is back at the Swans this season after a year off and typically shines in the white ball formats.
Stitt is capable of clearing the pickets with ease and will be vital in taking a part the powerplay overs.
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