The showdown is expected to be close to a sell-out as the two teams fight it out with finals around the corner, and the Thunder are ecstatic to have Warner playing just his third match back in green after international duties over the summer.

"We walk a whole lot taller with Davey in the side," former ACT Comets junior and current Thunder vice-captain Alex Ross said.

"He's extremely important. He's been outstanding for the group his energy. He's like a 12-year-old kid running around the rooms.

"Just the amount of knowledge that he has from the broad amount of experience of games ... it's really great to be exposed to that."

Warner's big-hitting, thrilling batting, combined with freakish ability in the field makes him a box office attraction.

But crowd figures for the BBL have been a bit of a talking point this season, with some matches stacking stadiums with passionate fans, while others struggle to fill thousands of visibly vacant seats.

To amplify their product, Cricket Australia's new TV deal will see each BBL team play 10 games - instead of the current 14 - as soon as next season, and Ross believes that could help see a boost in attendance and interest in the competition.

"I think the reduction in games to 10 is the right move," he said. "We're all partners in the game, so we all want the game to be as popular as we can and crowds do bring that energy.

"We want that product to be as good as it can be, and I actually think this year it has gotten better than it was the last couple years."

READ MORE:

It's been an up-and-down season for the Thunder, with their abysmal 15-run total last month the low point.

But the team embraced the hurdle that worst-ever Twenty20 cricket score presented, and it galvanised the team to go on a run that led them into the position they're in now, where finals are still an achievable feat.

"It just brought us more together," Ross said. "We were world record holders. Not everyone can say that.

"We could joke about it ... like there were people in the airport, a kid saying, 'Oh, I batted more than 15 this weekend'.

"And then our batting for the next four games was really good after that."

Melbourne Renegades fast-bowler and fellow former ACT Comet Tom Rogers is not expecting the Thunder to do that badly ever again, and is wary about the firepower Sydney boast.

"Before the BBL started I thought they'd be a top-three side," he told The Canberra Times.

"Every team is threatening but these guys have some dangerous weapons."

Sitting outright third on the BBL ladder with the Thunder in the middle of the table locked on equal points just below the Renegades, Rogers knows both sides will be hungry for a win in Canberra, and he doesn't want to take any chances.

"It's a really important game for us. If we win this, we're looking pretty good for third and we don't want to give that up," Rogers said.

"The outfield here is just as I remember it - like an absolute carpet. I've played a lot of cricket at Manuka, but not a Big Bash game, so I'm pretty excited about this one," he added.

The BBL's second-leading wicket taker is also motivated to live up to praise he received this season from cricket great Brett Lee, which he has promptly printed out and stuck on his wall at home.

"It has been screen-shotted," Rogers said, beaming. "He's an absolute legend and someone you want to bowl like, so it's nice to hear those words."

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.