New South Wales

Squad Sean Abbott (CA), Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins (CA), Joel Davies (R), Oliver Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hackney, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Josh Hazlewood (CA), Moises Henriques, Baxter Holt, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Nathan Lyon (CA), Blake Macdonald, Blake Nikitaras, Jack Nisbet (R), Kurtis Patterson, Ross Pawson, Will Salzmann (R), Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Lachlan Shaw (R), Steven Smith (CA), Mitchell Starc (CA), Chris Tremain, Hunar Verma (R), David Warner (CA), Adam Zampa (CA)

CA = Cricket Australia contract | R = Rookie contract

In Jackson Bird, Joel Davies, Chris Green, Blake Macdonald, Ross Pawson
Out Trent Copeland, Liam Doddrell, Mickey Edwards, Lachlan Hearne, Daniel Sams

How they shape up

Player to watch

Australia radar

Queensland

Squad Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Hugo Burdon (R), Joe Burns, Jack Clayton, Blake Edwards, Liam Guthrie, Aryan Jain, Usman Khawaja (CA), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne (CA), Ben McDermott, Michael Neser (CA), Jimmy Peirson, Will Prestwidge (R), Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Jack Sinfield (R), Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Connor Sully, Mitch Swepson, Hugh Weibgen (R), Tom Whitney (R), Jack Wildermuth

In Ben McDermott, Aryan Jain, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Whitney
Out Kane Richardson, Sam Heazlett, Sam Truloff, Matthew Willans

How they shape up

Their bowling attack looks solid and one of the interesting decisions will be how they use Mitch Swepson and Matt Kuhnemann with the Gabba, especially, rarely a two-spinner venue

Player to watch

Australia radar

Marnus Labuschagne's late move into the World Cup squad means he won't be seen much in the first half of the season, but Usman Khawaja should be around ahead of the Test matches. Matt Renshaw will hope to push for David Warner's spot at the top of the order. Michael Neser seems destined to forever be a reserve for Australia. Kuhnemann and Swepson are unlikely to be needed on home soil barring a spate of injuries.

South Australia

Squad Wes Agar, Kyle Brazell (R), Jordan Buckingham, Aidan Cahill (R), Jake Carder, Alex Carey (CA), Harry Conway, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, Jake Fraser-McGurk, David Grant, Travis Head (CA), Isaac Higgins (R), Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Harry Matthias (R), Nathan McAndrew, Nathan McSweeney, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton, Spencer Johnson, Kelvin Smith

In Jake Fraser-McGurk, Kelvin Smith
Out Jake Weatherald (Tasmania), Bailey Capel, Ryan King, Nick Winter

How they shape up

Ben Manenti carried the spin bowling, but a lot of faith is being shown in Lloyd Pope even though he did not play a game last season. Jake Lehmann has taken on the captaincy and will need to average more than the 31.23 he managed in 2022-23.

Player to watch

Australia radar

Travis Head and Alex Carey are part of the World Cup squad so may, at most, get one Shield outing before the Test summer. Johnson, who has returned from India with a hamstring injury, is on the selectors' radar across all formats. It's unlikely anyone else will be required for national duty, but Thornton, Agar, Buckingham and Nathan McSweeney have been around the A-team set-up.

Tasmania

Squad Gabe Bell, Iain Carlisle, Nick Davis (R), Paddy Dooley, Jake Doran, Nathan Ellis, Jarrod Freeman, Brad Hope, Caleb Jewell, Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Mitch Owen, Nivethan Radhakrishnan (R), Sam Rainbird, Jordan Silk, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Charlie Wakim, Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster, Mac Wright

In Paddy Dooley, Jake Weatherald
Out Tom Andrews, Jackson Bird (NSW), Ben McDermott (Queensland), Peter Siddle (Victoria)

How they shape up

Billy Stanlake could also return to the first-class ranks after two years out. Left-arm orthodox white-ball specialist Paddy Dooley has been added to the squad and could play a role. The batting has been strengthened. They already possess an Australia A opening combination in Caleb Jewell and Tim Ward. Jake Weatherald joins the squad and may get an opportunity to bat in a different position having been a long-time opener for South Australia.

Player to watch

That has vaulted him into the conversation as a possible long-term Test match opener. Prior to the A series, he appeared to be behind Harris, Renshaw and Bancroft in the pecking order but that gap has closed. A fast start to the summer and some big scores, especially on the always challenging early-season Bellerive Oval surface, will only help his cause.

Australia radar

Aside from Jewell, Ward is another who is popular with the selectors having played in the last two Australia A series, and could also put himself in the mix as a Test candidate. Meredith is always a player of interest to the national selectors when he is fit and he started the Marsh Cup season with a lightning spell of bowling at the Junction Oval. His red-ball bowling has long been a work in progress, but his raw pace and skill make him an attractive player to the selectors.

Victoria

Squad Liam Blackford (R), Scott Boland (CA), Dylan Brasher (R), Ashley Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Travis Dean, Sam Elliott, Matt Fotia, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris (CA), Campbell Kellaway, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell (CA), Cameron McClure, Jono Merlo, Todd Murphy (CA), Tom O'Donnell, Fergus O'Neill, Wil Parker, Mitch Perry, Will Pucovski, Tom Rogers, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Will Sutherland, Douglas Warran (R)

In Peter Siddle, Matt Fotia, Tom O'Donnell, Tom Rogers, Liam Blackford, Dylan Brasher, Douglas Warren
Out Aaron Finch (retired), Jake Fraser-McGurk (South Australia), Brody Couch, Zak Evans, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Holland, Tom O'Connell

How they shape up

Victoria surprised even themselves by making back-to-back finals with a young squad but they feel they are ready to take the next step. Last year they lost to Western Australia, unable to win the key moments with bat and ball in the decider. But a year older and wiser they look like they have all the pieces in place.

Player to watch

He does not have much to prove at domestic level but some big early scores, particularly at the WACA and the Gabba could actually put pressure on the national selectors to move Warner on earlier. Conversely, if Harris has a lean early season run, which can happen as an opening bat, the likes of Renshaw, Bancroft and Jewell will all be pressing their case to be next cab off the rank.

Australia radar

Victoria have a good contingent of players on the fringes off the Test team with Harris, Boland and Murphy all touring England with the Ashes squad. Handscomb did not make the Ashes squad despite playing very well on the tour of India and he is keen to prove he is not just a subcontinent specialist.

Sutherland's stocks continue to rise as both a leader and a player. Australia's allrounder resources are flush at the moment but if Sutherland can improve his long-form batting after a maiden first-class century last season and 83 in the final, he can elevate his standing even further. Pucovski always remains a player of interest, but Australia's selectors are set to be very patient with him and let him try and get some continuity at domestic level for a season or two.

Western Australia

Captain Mitchell Marsh
Coach Adam Voges

Squad Ashton Agar (CA), Cameron Bancroft, Mahli Beardman (R), Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Cooper Connolly, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin (R), Cameron Green (CA), Sam Greer (R), Aaron Hardie, Liam Haskett, Josh Inglis (CA), Bryce Jackson, Matt Kelly, Mitchell Marsh (CA), Hamish McKenzie, Lance Morris (CA), Joel Paris, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson (CA), Corey Rocchiccioli, D'Arcy Short, Charlie Stobo, Marcus Stoinis (CA), Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Josh Vernon (R), Sam Whiteman, Teague Wyllie

In Liam Haskett, Mahli Beardman, Josh Vernon
Out Shaun Marsh (retired), David Moody

How they shape up

WA are chasing a rare Shield hat-trick. It has only happened three times since 1977-78 when it became a six-team competition. They are in strong shape to do it with the squad hardly changing from last season. Shaun Marsh has retired but he only managed to play one game last season. WA's major challenge will be managing their fast bowling and the coming and going of international players.

Player to watch

Australia radar

Aside from Bancroft, Morris is the one that looms largest on Australia's radar. He will be carefully managed through the first six rounds of the Shield season to ensure he is fully fit for the Pakistan Test series, as he may be in line for a Test debut if any of Australia's established Test quicks get injured at the World Cup.