Royce, who is also a resident, has been recognised for his service to rugby league as a player and a coach.
“It’s a great honour; you’ve only got to look at some of the other people that have got it. To be compared to some of those other people who have got it over the years and to be alongside them is just unbelievable,” Simmons said.
During his time as a Panther, Simmons played 237 first grade games including the maiden premiership in 1991, captained the side from 1983-1990, coached the side and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
After being diagnosed with dementia in 2021 at the age of 60, he founded the Royce Simmons Foundation to raise funds for dementia research, an initiative he considers his proudest achievement. He has completed three Royce’s Big Walks to raise funds for research into dementia.
The Royce Simmons Foundation is staging a Sportsman’s Luncheon with Ivan Cleary, Nick Farr-Jones, Arthur Laundy, Craig Johnson and himself in Penrith on Friday, 14 February.
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