Maxwell's Shock Return: No Contract, But Victoria Calls

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-09-23

Glenn Maxwell is back in Victoria's One-Day Cup squad to face New South Wales this Friday. And here's the twist: he's doing it without a contract. Just five days after captaining Belfast Wolves in the ETPL final in Dublin, Maxwell lands in Melbourne for what promises to be a historic night at the Junction Oval. Scott Boland also returns for this one-off match. It's the first floodlit game under the newly installed lights at the Junction Oval. And with the AFL Grand Final the next day, the crowd should be buzzing. ### Why Maxwell's Return Is So Surprising Maxwell retired from ODI cricket in early 2025. He holds no contract with Victoria or Cricket Australia. He was removed from CA's central contract list earlier this year. He's only notionally available for T20I selection, though he hasn't formally retired from Tests. Australia have just five T20Is scheduled in the 2026-27 contract year. Maxwell was left out of the most recent T20I series against Bangladesh in June. So why is he back? He'd spoken with Victoria about his availability earlier in the winter. That conversation turned into a squad spot. This isn't his first One-Day Cup game since retiring from ODIs. Last September, he played two matches for Victoria, including his maiden List A century for the state. But back then, he was still contracted to CA, and those games were prep for a T20I tour of New Zealand. Victoria has four more One-Day Cup fixtures before the BBL: September 25, October 12, October 24, and November 16. Coach Chris Rogers hasn't said if Maxwell will play beyond Friday. ### Boland's One-Match Cameo Before Test Duty Boland gets one game with Victoria before flying to South Africa on Sunday to join Australia's Test squad. He missed Victoria's win over Queensland in Brisbane last week. Rogers said having contracted players like Boland helps the squad. "They perform, and they set an example for the younger guys," he said. The timing, right before the AFL Grand Final, should draw a big crowd. ### A Squad Stretched Thin Victoria is missing several players on national duty: - Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Todd Murphy, and Fergus O'Neill are with Australia A in India. - Ollie Peake is with Australia's ODI squad in South Africa. All except Murphy should return for the October 12 match. Murphy stays with Australia A for three one-day games ending October 11. Rogers admitted fitting everyone back in will be tough as the season goes on. He also praised the younger players in the win over Queensland. Victoria chased down 336 after being 14 for 4. Debutant Liam Blackford and captain Will Sutherland both scored hundreds. Rogers said the depth from uncapped players shows the program is in good shape. ### What This Means for Victoria Maxwell's return is a big deal. He's a game-changer, even without a contract. Boland's presence adds firepower before he leaves for Test duty. And the young guys are stepping up. For fans, Friday night at the Junction Oval is must-see cricket. For Victoria, it's a chance to show they can compete even with a stretched squad. One thing's clear: Maxwell isn't done yet. And Victoria is happy to have him, contract or not. For more cricket news and updates, visit JeetWin Blog!