Who do you hate? All NRL clubs ranked

Embed from Getty Images

In 2024, LeagueUnlimited ran a poll which attracted nearly 700 entries to establish who the NRL's most loathed team is, together with data on who each team's fanbase considers their greatest rivals.

How we did it

We collected this data via an online survey in June and July 2024, with respondents asked to identify the club they supported, and then nominate up to five clubs they dislike most.

The results

Alright. Plenty of data here - but let's start with club by club 'loathe lists':

Broncos fans aren't really much about hatred for their nearest rivals, with the Roosters topping Brisbane's Most Hated at 17.3%, closely followed by 2023 Grand Final opponents Penrith on 16.1%. Further back, the Storm (11.2%) and Souths (8.9%) are the other key rivals.

In terms of their copatriots in Queensland, there's not a heap to talk about. The Cowboys are fifth-most-hated by Broncos fans at 7.6%, Dolphins with 6.1% and Titans at 2.4%. 0.8% of their polled supporters also said they hate their own club the most.

No Broncos fans responding to our survey nominated the Wests Tigers (0.0%) as a team they hated.

It seems if you've played the Roosters in a Grand Final, they're high on your list. Like Brisbane, Canberra fans loathe the Tricolours most, with 19.4% of fans choosing them. Brisbane came in second for the Green Machine on 15.3%. Penrith and Manly share third place on 14.3%.

2.0% of the Raiders' supporters polled listed their own club as most hated, while there was no hatred for the Dolphins, Titans, Warriors or Tigers (all 0.0%) from Canberra's cohort.

Doggies are you ready ready? Obviously, you guys hate Parramatta the most, with 21.4% of the Belmore faithful picking their 80's arch-rivals. Second and third places are close - foundation clubs South Sydney (16.7%) and the Roosters (15.3%) certainly raise Canterbury supporters' ire. There's a pretty big gap after that with the Dragons (9.2%) and Manly (8.8%) next in line.

Nobody in the blue-and-white chose North Queensland (0.0%) as their most hated.

It will come as no surprise to anybody from the Shire that neighbours St. George Illawarra (19.1%) comfortably top this list. Fellow beachside club Manly are next with 13.2%, and their 1967 entry counterparts Penrith follow closely on 12.5%. A relatively new rivalry has developed with Canberra, they're fourth on Sharkies' fans radars at 11.0%.

The Titans (0.0%) were the only club who attracted no ire from the folks wearing black, white and blue.

We didn't get a huge number of responses from Phins fans, but they still spoke clearly on who they hate the most. Brisbane on 26.7% were the emphatic leader on this list, with four other clubs on 13.3% being Manly, Penrith, Sydney and Souths.

With a small number of votes, it then turns out that nine of the 17 NRL clubs attracted no hatred from the Redclffe rabble rousers.

Another smaller fan base and as such a smaller vote. Like the Dolphins, this relatively young club views Brisbane (26.1%) as their greatest enemy, with Manly and Sydney equal behind them on 13.0%.

Notably, 4.4% of Gold Coast fans nominated their own team for some hatred.

Five clubs - Canberra, Canterbury, Melbourne, Penrith and St George Illawarra - delivered 0.0% from Titans fans.

'Guess what, Manly hates you too" - might be specifically referring to Parramatta, who amassed 24.52% of Manly fans' votes for most hated. 'Battle of Brookie' rivals Melbourne are a clear second with 16.8%, while the Roosters are third with 12.9%.

The Dolphins (0.0%) are the only club Manly fans didn't nominate at all, while 0.7% of them hate their own club.

Down in Victoria it's all about hating Manly (18.0%). The Roosters (16.0%) are next on the list, while current premiers Penrith (13.3%) are third here. Cronulla rate a mention with 10.7%.

Storm fans don't have any hatred for new boys the Dolphins (0.0%).

Three standouts for Novocastrians. 1997 Grand Final runners-up Manly top the chart at 19.3%, with both Brisbane and Sydney recording 16.9%.

The Knights are among a handful of clubs who managed to poll at least one vote for all 16 other clubs.

Like the other two newer Queensland clubs, the Cowboys fanbase hates Brisbane most. 21.2% of the Townsville club's fans chose them, with regular finals opponents Cronulla next in line on 18.2%. The Roosters of course are up there too, with 15.2 of votes in their column.

Canberra, Canterbury and the Warriors attracted no ire from Cowboys fans, nor did their Queensland buddies Dolphins or Titans (all 0.0%).

Eels fans certainly reciprocate the Canterbury hate with the Belmore club 21.3% on top of the list. Manly are second (15.9%) and Melbourne are right in behind on 15.2%, with Penrith (14.5%) not far back either.

Eels fans voted in their own club with 1.83% hatred, while the Cowboys (0.0%) were the only club they had no ill will towards.

The current-current-current-current premiers have a fairly spread out list of hatred, which checks out for a currently successful club. Notably, all five of their most-hated clubs are Grand Final opponents. Parramatta (2022) do sit atop the list on 17.9%, with Brisbane (2023) next on 14.8% and the Roosters (2003) next on 13.3%. Melbourne (2020 and 2024) were fourth with 11.4%, and Souths (2021) fifth on 9.5%.

The Gold Coast Titans (0.0%) are the only team Penrith fans couldn't summon any anger toward.

There's plenty of passion among Red V fans, with the bulk of it directed at their two neighbours - Cronulla (16.1%) and Canterbury (15.1%). ANZAC Day rivals the Roosters (14.0%) come in next, with 1999 Grand Final winners Melbourne (12.9%) and Souths (10.8%) next in line.

0.5% of Dragons fans nominated their own club, with no hatred from Red V fans toward three clubs (0.0%) - Canberra, Dolphins and Gold Coast.

Would it shock you to learn that Rabbitohs fans by far and away nominated the Roosters as their most hated club? 30.0% of Souths supporters chose them, with Penrith (11.4%) and Manly (10.6%) a long way behind them.

The Dolphins, Gold Coast, Newcastle and North Queensland gathered no votes from Bunnies fans (0.0%).

We got a strong response from Roosters fans, with the bulk of their votes of course thrown at neighbours and century-long rivals South Sydney (27.4%). 14.6% of fans nominated Brisbane who attracted the second largest vote, with Melbourne and Penrith (10.6%). Manly on 9.3% rounded out their top five - notably like Penrith, all five of the Roosters' most hated clubs are all teams they've met in the Grand Final before.

Dolphins and Titans, much like many other clubs, had no hatred votes from the Roosters (0.0%), while 0.9% of Tricolours fans have some self-loathing happening.

Up the Wahs, but down with Melbourne, apparently. 16.9% of Warriors fans loathe the Storm, with the Roosters 15.7% close behind in second. From their first game, Wahs supporters have loathed Brisbane, who are third on the list with 12.1% of votes, then Manly on 10.8% are fourth.

1.2% of the NZ side's fanbase are self-loathing, while the Cowboys are the only club who received no hatred votes (0.0%).

Easter rivals Parramatta are the least loved among the Tigers' fanbase with 18.4% of their scowling headed the Eels' way. Second place was incredibly close - Penrith and the Roosters (10.6%) have Canterbury and Manly (10.1%) nipping at their heels.

1.45% of Tigers fans - perhaps unders? - are self loathing, while no Tigers fans chose the Dolphins as their least loved team at all (0.0%).

So who's most hated overall?

All 17 clubs have been ranked by how many people voted to hate them, divided by the number of overall responses (687).