NB-M · team desk
Northern Brave Men Team: Squad, Results, Stats & Schedule
Northern Brave Men's complete team hub: the final 16-player 2026/27 domestic contract group plus BLACKCAPS-contracted Mitchell Santner, every score from the 2025/26 championship, Katene Clarke and Scott Kuggeleijn's team-leading totals, Robbie O'Donnell's title-winning captaincy, BJ Watling and Daniel Flynn's coaching team, Seddon Park, Bay Oval and five national men's T20 titles.
Six district associations across New Zealand's upper North Island
NB-M
2025/26 Super Smash champions · five national men's T20 titles
- Captain
- Robbie O'Donnell · 2025/26 champion captain
- Head coach
- BJ Watling
- Home
- Seddon Park
- Founded
- 1956 · Northern Districts men's representative programme
Team overview
Northern Brave Men at a glance
Northern Brave Men are Northern Districts Cricket's men's T20 side. Northern Districts began first-class competition in 1956/57 and represents six district associations across the upper North Island; the programme also contests the Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield under the Northern Districts name.
The Brave topped the 2025/26 Super Smash league table with five wins, one loss, one tie, three weather-affected outcomes, 28 points and a net run rate of 1.977. They then chased Canterbury's 171/5 at Hagley Oval to win the final by five wickets.
That championship was Northern's fifth national men's T20 title after wins in 2013/14, 2017/18, 2021/22 and 2022/23, and the third in five seasons under the Northern Brave identity. BJ Watling and Daniel Flynn remain the coaching pair for 2026/27.
Champions1st · champions
Table-toppers and five-wicket final winners
Northern finished first after ten league fixtures, then beat Canterbury by five wickets in the final. The full campaign below therefore contains 11 outcomes: six wins, one loss, one tie, two no-results after play began and one abandonment without a ball. No 2026/27 fixture has been invented.
Performance leaders
NB-M's Super Smash 2025/26 leaders
NZC's completed Northern Districts batting and bowling averages include the final. The all-rounder card is a transparent runs-and-wickets comparison, not a separate official award.
Katene Clarke
Nine innings, average 61.57, strike rate 171.71, one hundred and three fifties
Brett Hampton
Nine innings, average 40.00, strike rate 177.33 and four fifties
Top wicket-taker17 wicketsScott Kuggeleijn
Average 15.64, economy 8.31 and best figures of 4/26
Tim Pringle
Best figures of 3/14 and average 28.00
Brett Hampton
The strongest completed two-skill aggregate in the championship squad
Northern Brave Men
An 87-run home win over Canterbury Kings
League table5 wins · 1 loss1st · 28 pts
Most catchesKatene Clarke6
Wicketkeeper catchesBen Pomare6
Completed scores
All 11 Northern Brave Men outcomes in Super Smash 2025/26
Every league fixture and the championship final is listed in order. The three weather outcomes remain distinct in the text, the tie is not counted as a no-result, and the completed league table is separated from the final.
| Result | Date | Opponent & venue | Scores | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NR | Match 1 | Auckland AcesSeddon Park | NB-M No inningsAuckland Aces 201/8 | No result · rain |
| L | Match 2 | Wellington FirebirdsBay Oval | NB-M 181 all outWellington Firebirds 194/3 | Lost by 13 runs |
| T | Match 3 | Otago VoltsBay Oval | NB-M 166/6Otago Volts 166/6 | Match tied |
| W | Match 4 | Canterbury KingsSeddon Park | NB-M 240/4Canterbury Kings 153/9 | Won by 87 runs |
| W | Match 5 | Wellington FirebirdsCello Basin Reserve | NB-M 189/4Wellington Firebirds 185/7 | Won by 6 wickets |
| W | Match 6 | Central StagsMcLean Park | NB-M 120/4Central Stags 146/5 | Won by 6 wickets · DLS target 120 in 15 overs |
| W | Match 7 | Otago VoltsUniversity Oval | NB-M 231/3Otago Volts 200/8 | Won by 31 runs |
| NR | Match 8 | Central StagsSeddon Park | NB-M No playCentral Stags No play | Abandoned without a ball |
| W | Match 9 | Auckland AcesEden Park Outer Oval | NB-M 217/8Auckland Aces 110 all out | Won by 107 runs |
| NR | Match 10 | Canterbury KingsHagley Oval | NB-M 124/4Canterbury Kings No innings | No result · rain |
| W | Match Grand Final | Canterbury KingsHagley Oval | NB-M 173/5Canterbury Kings 171/5 | Won by 5 wickets |
Final 2026/27 contracted group
Northern Brave Men 2026/27 squad tracker
Northern Districts completed its 16 domestic contracts when right-arm pace bowler James Naylor received the final place. Mitchell Santner is listed separately because his 2026/27 agreement is a BLACKCAPS central contract, producing this 17-player current tracker without mislabelling him as a domestic contractee.
Batters
Wicketkeeper-batters
All-Rounders
Bowlers
BowlerJosh BrownBowlerScott KuggeleijnCompetition record
League and season history
This page covers the Northern Brave Men men's IPL identity. Same-brand women's squads are kept separate so player and season statistics are not mixed.
| Season | Finish | Record | Top scorer | Most wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Champions | 1st · final won by 5 wickets | Katene Clarke · 431 | Scott Kuggeleijn · 17 |
| 2024/25 | 2nd | Completed league season | Official season archive | Official season archive |
| 2022/23 | Champions | Fourth national T20 title | Official title archive | Official title archive |
| 2021/22 | Champions | Third national T20 title | Official title archive | Official title archive |
| 2017/18 | Champions | Northern Knights | Official title archive | Official title archive |
| 2013/14 | Champions | Northern Knights | Official title archive | Official title archive |
| 1956/57 | First-class entry | Northern Districts debut season | First match on 25 December 1956 | Six-association programme |
Team operations
NB-M coaching and support staff
BJ Watling
Coached the 2025/26 champions and remains in the 2026/27 coaching pair.
Daniel Flynn
Listed with Watling as returning coach for the 2026/27 contracted group.
Home venue
Seddon Park
Hamilton, New ZealandSeddon Park is Northern Districts' principal home venue and hosted three scheduled Brave men's matches in 2025/26. Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui hosted two more, reflecting a regional team spread across six district associations. Cobham Oval is also used by Northern Districts in other formats.
Open the official venue source ↗Team news
Latest NB-M updates
Official updates covering the completed 2026/27 domestic contract group and the 2025/26 championship. The next domestic fixture list was not published at this update.
Squad update · 21 Jul 2026
James Naylor receives the 16th and final domestic contract
Read at Seddon Park ↗Contracts · 08 Jul 2026Northern Districts names its first 15 contracts for 2026/27
Read at New Zealand Cricket ↗Championship · 31 Jan 2026Northern Brave beat Canterbury to win the men's Super Smash
Read at New Zealand Cricket ↗Official destinations
NB-M website and social handles
Use these direct links to avoid fan accounts and lookalike profiles.
Reader questions
Northern Brave Men FAQ
Who captained Northern Brave Men to the 2025/26 title?
Robbie O'Donnell captained Northern Brave Men in their five-wicket final win over Canterbury. A separate 2026/27 captain announcement was not available at this update.
Who coaches Northern Brave Men?
Former New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling is head coach, with Daniel Flynn also listed in the returning 2026/27 coaching pair.
Is the Northern Brave Men 2026/27 contracted group final?
Yes. James Naylor completed the 16 domestic contracts, while Mitchell Santner is additionally tracked through his BLACKCAPS central contract.
Who scored the most Northern Brave runs in 2025/26?
Katene Clarke led the champions with 431 runs at an average of 61.57 and strike rate of 171.71.
Who took the most Northern Brave wickets in 2025/26?
Scott Kuggeleijn led the team with 17 wickets, best figures of 4/26 and an average of 15.64.
Who was Northern Brave Men's leading all-rounder?
Brett Hampton combined 360 runs with nine wickets, the strongest runs-and-wickets aggregate in the squad.
Where do Northern Brave Men play home matches?
Seddon Park in Hamilton is the principal home venue, while Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui also hosted Brave men's matches in 2025/26.
How many men's T20 titles have Northern won?
Northern have won five national men's T20 titles: 2013/14, 2017/18, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2025/26.
Which other competitions do Northern Districts men play?
They also compete in the 50-over Ford Trophy and four-day Plunket Shield under the Northern Districts name.
References
Sources for this team page
Updated 2026-08-09. NZC leads for contracts, the completed table, all scores, leaders, final and title history; Northern Districts and Seddon Park support the association, final contract, coaching and venue context. Direct Instagram and Facebook fetches were throttled, so their exact destinations are retained from NZC's official team directory. The 2026/27 schedule is not yet published.
01
New Zealand CricketFirst 15 Northern Districts domestic contracts and 2026/27 BLACKCAPS list
Open ↗02Seddon ParkJames Naylor as final contract and returning coaches BJ Watling and Daniel Flynn
Open ↗03New Zealand CricketOfficial 2025/26 men's Super Smash table
Open ↗04New Zealand CricketNorthern Districts batting and fielding averages including the final
Open ↗05New Zealand CricketNorthern Districts bowling averages including the final
Open ↗06New Zealand CricketFinal score, champion captain, head coach and third title in five years
Open ↗07New Zealand CricketOfficial Super Smash champions archive
Open ↗08Northern Districts CricketAssociation area and six district associations
Open ↗09New Zealand CricketNorthern Districts' first match on Christmas Day 1956
Open ↗10New Zealand CricketOfficial Northern Districts website and social destinations
Open ↗