Australian Test great Nathan Lyon returned to familiar territory this week, reconnecting with the ACT cricketing community through a whirlwind day visit that included mentoring sessions with the ACT Comets, Meteors and local pathway players.
Lyon, who spent several years in Canberra both working at Manuka Ova and climbing through the local cricket ranks, made a special return to the nation’s capital as part of his new initiative, GOATD: a player-led clinic and mentorship program aimed at giving back to grassroots cricket. The Pathway to Pro program coming to Goulburn, Canberra and Wagga in the space of three days.
“I suppose it was a dinner table conversation with my father-in-law actually.” Lyon explained.
“I said that I wanted to give back to the game that has given me so much and we tried to figure out and brainstorm ways that we could do that. Coming back down to the ACT and regional NSW is one way that we thought that we could do that by doing a couple of clinics and a couple of seminars.”
At the heart of the tour is Lyon’s passion for helping the next generation of cricketers, particularly those rising through the ACT Cricket pathways that were so vital to his own journey.
“ACT Cricket has played a massive part in my career.”
“We talk about pathways and the seminars are called Pathways to Pro. It’s just really probably gonna highlight that there’s different ways that you can achieve your dream. We wanna see kids dream big and hopefully I’m going to inspire a couple of the boys and girls out there to chase their dreams, that’s what I’m here to do.” Lyon told Cricket ACT.
During his visit, Lyon took time to work with the ACT Comets squad as they prepare for the NT Top End Series, a vital step in their own player development pathway. As well as spending time with the ACT Meteors, offering his insights into high performance and mental resilience. His presence has been a shot of inspiration for the entire ACT cricket community.
His return to Canberra also comes ahead of a packed summer of international cricket at the iconic Manuka Oval, where Lyon once worked as an apprentice curator before donning the baggy green.
“The PM’s game is always something I’ve kept an eye on, from my working days there at Manuka Oval to my playing days. It’s an amazing game. It really gives the Canberra locals a chance to come see the superstars of international cricket with the likes of Root, Stokes who’ll be out here for a pretty amazing summer.” he said.
That summer includes the much-anticipated Ashes Series, and Lyon is already fired up for what promises to be another chapter in cricket’s greatest rivalry.
“Obviously Ashes, the theatre seems to be getting bigger and bigger. It is exciting to be a part of and I can’t wait for that. In regard to England, the Bazball era is still here; it’s going to be a challenge, but we want to challenge ourselves against the best players in the world.” Lyon stated.
Despite approaching 600 Test wickets, Lyon remains as driven as ever.
“Yeah, I’m not going to reveal all my goals but, I want to try and keep winning games of cricket for Australia. We’ve got an amazing group in that Australian cricket team. I’m lucky enough to play with a lot of my good mates. So, if we can keep winning games of cricket, all the goals will take care of themselves.” he told Cricket ACT.
For now, Lyon’s focus is on inspiring the next generation, and his return to the ACT has been the perfect way to give back to the cricketing community that helped shape him into one of Australia’s most successful Test cricketers.
Don’t miss out on your chance to witness international cricket at Manuka this summer!
- Australia v India - Men's T20 International - October 29 2025 - Manuka Oval (ticket allocation is currently exhausted)
- Prime Minister's XI v England XI - November 29 & 30 2025 - Manuka Oval FIND TICKETS
- Australia v India - Women's T20 International - February 19 2026 - Manuka Oval FIND TICKETS