Shield Campaign Ends With Some Encouraging Signs

After the heartbreaking finish to season 2024-2025, which saw the side finish sixth and miss out on the final by a slender margin, hopes were high of a swift return up the ladder and into finals contention.

WA welcomed New South Wales to the WACA Ground to start the season and found themselves in controlling the game at various stages of the four days.

Some lower order resistance from the New South Wales lower order set a total that proved too much for WA to run down on the final day.

The loss at home was followed by another tense defeat early on the fourth day against Tasmania in Hobart, falling just three runs short of a stunning run chase of more than 250 in a low scoring game.

After the Hobart heartbreak, a composed last wicket partnership of 23 between Cameron Gannon and Corey Rocchiccioli guided WA to a memorable win over Queensland at the WACA Ground and breathe life back into their campaign.

WA’s hopes of a mid-season push back up the ladder stalled with frustrating draws either side of the Queensland game against South Australia.

The final match of 2025 against top-of-the-table Victoria had a similar theme to other matches through the first half of the season, where the side played well for long periods but couldn’t turn it into a valuable win.

While two losses at home to start 2026 against Tasmania and Victoria ended any hopes of WA making the final, they managed to produce strong performances in drawn matches against Queensland and New South Wales to finish the season.

Gannon Turns Back The Clock

Fast bowler Cameron Gannon was one of just four players to play every game for WA this season and it was one he could be proud of. The 37-year-old took a stunning 42 wickets at 24.38 apiece for the season, second only to New South Wales quick Liam Hatcher (44 wickets). His stellar season saw him eclipse his previous season-best in 2019-2020 when playing for Queensland. Gannon’s 5-47 against Victoria at the MCG was a highlight of his campaign, while he was also at his disciplined best when taking six wickets against Queensland at Allan Border Field.

Rocchiccioli Delivers Again

Like Gannon, Rocchiccioli played all 10 games in the 2025-2026 season, and he was dependable as ever. After the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons netted him 38 and 46 wickets respectively, Rocchiccioli bagged another 38 wickets in 2025-2026 and had him finish as the third highest wicket taker in the competition. His 5-47 against Queensland at the WACA Ground inspired his side to their lone win for the season. The reigning Laurie Sawle Medallist also delivered with bat and ball in the final game of the season against New South Wales.

Bancroft Leads The Way

Opening batter Cameron Bancroft was another player to play every game this season and was a model of consistency from start to finish. The 33-year-old’s highlight came in the drawn match against South Australia at the WACA Ground, where he made a composed 122. The gritty right-hander finished the season in a strong vein of form too, notching three scores above 57 in eight innings after the BBL. Bancroft would finish the season with 674 runs at 33.70, second only to Victorian Peter Handscomb.

Fanning Finds His Groove

After managing just one Sheffield Shield appearance prior to the commencement of the BBL, opening batter Sam Fanning became a regular in the side in 2026. Fanning showed plenty of poise and class when afforded the opportunity at the top of the order. A stylish 99 against Victoria when his side was under pressure was the highlight of Fanning’s season. He went on to back that up with scores of 62 and 87 against Queensland in Brisbane at his next outing.

Debutants Show Promising Signs

As was the case for Fanning, the back end of the season saw golden opportunities present for a pair of exciting youngsters. Allrounder Kade Povey was the first debutant of the season in the home game against Victoria. Povey showed tremendous discipline with the ball in the first innings, after Victorian opener Sam Harper got his side off to a flying start. While he went wicketless in the first innings, he dismissed Blake MacDonald in the second innings to open his account. The second of the side’s debutants was Albert Esterhuysen in the penultimate game of the season against Queensland. As he did in his One-Day Cup debut, Esterhuysen took multiple wickets and looked right at home in the Sheffield Shield spotlight. The 19-year-old took 4-37 to help put his side in a winning position before rain halted WA’s charge.