Melbourne Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen, Canberra Raiders former champion Bradley Clyde and Balmain Tigers legend Paul Sironen will headline a Sydney Thunder celebrity cricket match this summer.
The match, which will be held at the Sydney Showgrounds on Sunday, January 8 ahead of the Big Bash League derby against the Sydney Sixers, will see the three rugby league stars don the lime green.
Papenhuyzen needs no introduction as one of the best fullbacks in the NRL.
Battling through injury in 2022, he will be out to return to full fitness and form in 2023, where he will aim to continue his push for selection in the New South Wales State of Origin side.
The 24-year-old was on the cusp of selection this year before a devastating knee and ankle injury sent him to the sidelines. He recovered, but was injured again later in the season.
Check out this star-studded line-up ๐คฉ
How did you go guessing the celebs for our Celebrity Smash match? ๐ Do we have any #ThunderNation detectives? ๐ง
It will be played on Sun Jan 8, ahead of the Sydney Smash at the Showgrounds ๐
TIX ๐ https://t.co/z8j8vRFewn ๐ pic.twitter.com/DKTqk5mfoF
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) November 27, 2022
Sironen, now aged 57, played 246 rgames for his beloved Balmain Tigers between 1985 and 1998, while also playing 14 State of Origin matches for New South Wales and 21 Tests for Australia to the end of his representative career in 1994.
Clyde was also a representative star during his career, playing 12 State of Origin's for New South Wales and 19 Tests for Australia to go with his 178 games for the Canberra Raiders, before he finished his NRL career with 36 games for the Canterbury Bulldogs in 1999 and 2000. He would have a single season at the Leeds Rhinos in 2001.
Papenhuyzen and Clyde are named on the same team being "Team Thor" and will be joined by Olympic Medallist boxing star Harry Garside, Fox Sports' Megan Barnard and Lee Germon, who serves as the CEO of Cricket New South Wales.
Sironen's team - Team Storm - will feature another champion boxer in George Kambosos, Erin Holland from Channel 7, former Australian cricket star quick Doug Bollinger and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.
Both teams will be topped up by Sydney Thunder WBBL stars, with Phoebe Litchfield and Hannah Darlington on Team Thor, and Tahlia Wilson and Sammy-Jo Johnson on Sironen's Team Storm.
The match will be played on January 8.
