NRL 2024 grand final: Who should neutral fans cheer for? Melbourne Storm or Penrith Panthers?

So your team didn’t make the NRL grand final? There’s a long list of reasons to find a team to go for … or at least hate less than the other. See who every team’s supporters should cheer for in the 2024 decider.

So your team didn’t make the NRL grand final? There’s a list of reasons longer than Jamie Ainscough’s swinging forearm to find a team to go for … or at least hate less than the other.

Here’s who you should cheer for on Sunday, based on which team you support.

BRONCOS, COWBOYS, TITANS & DOLPHINS

The Storm are basically a Queensland team sent south to spread the good word to Victorians so assume fans of these four clubs are on Melbourne.

Queensland needs little prompting to claim stars who aren’t their own (Ariarne Titmus and Emma McKeon are like Olympic Greg Inglis's) so why not an entire club?

And while NSW still spits the name ‘Cameron Smith’, Queenslanders think he is Sir Joh reincarnated and will be unashamedly adding a Storm premiership to that of the Brisbane Lions as proof of the Sunshine State’s sporting supremacy.

He may be retired, but Cameron Smith is still royalty in the sunshine state, so Queenslanders will rally behind the Storm. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Verdict: Storm

BULLDOGS

It’s hard for a Bulldogs fan to cheer against their feeder team.

Burton, Kikau, Crichton and Salmon will no doubt all be back in pink and black for a night – all urged on by former Panthers assistant Cameron Ciraldo.

And while Storm great Billy Slater is long retired, most will not have forgotten the moment he sparked an all-in brawl during the 2012 grand final. Slater walked away with a bitten ear. Dogs fans were left with a bitter taste in their mouths.

The Bulldogs have a few former Panthers among their ranks so may as well cheer on their honorary feeder club. Picture: Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Verdict: Panthers

SEA EAGLES

“Anyone but Melbourne” will be the mantra from the Insular Peninsula. Ever since Manly played consecutive grand finals against the Storm in 2007-08, the two clubs have hated each other.

The Battle of Brookie (when Glenn Stewart and Adam Blair traded blows on the sideline) pretty much sums up where your average Manly fan sits.

Verdict: Panthers

ROOSTERS

Too busy looking up next year’s draw to see when to direct their bile at the Rabbitohs to really care about Sunday’s decider.

Their many longstanding rivalries with other Sydney teams is what gets a Roosters fan’s blood boiling so it’s the Storm by default.

Plus, you’re unlikely to bump into many gloating Storm fans in the eastern suburbs.

Verdict: Storm

RABBITOHS

The only thing Rabbitohs and Roosters fans agree on is that their hatred of one and another trumps anything else.

The ‘Pride of the League’ aren’t big on showering fellow Sydney teams with plaudits so it’s the Storm but only by a slim margin. That and cheering for the Sharks to hammer the Roosters in the NRLW grand final.

Verdict: Storm

SHARKS

Cronulla fans might be tempted to drift south because of Nicho Hynes’ links to the Storm but that would be to forget a grand final meeting between the two clubs in 2016, which led to Cronulla breaking their infamous premiership drought.

Melbourne won their first title in just their second year while it took Cronulla 49 years to turn the porch light off. Show offs.

Sharks fans may be tempted to support Storm, but the rivalry from the 2016 grand final against Melbourne remains strong. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Verdict: Panthers

TIGERS

Melbourne stealing Stefano Utoikamanu is just the latest salvo in a very one-sided war between two clubs at either end of the NRL success spectrum.

The name of overpriced Storm product ‘Adam Blair’ is like acid on a Tigers fan’s lips while the rising fortunes of Josh Addo-Carr and Ryan Papenhuyzen – after being shunned by the Tigers – still feels painful.

Wests Tigers will feature five former Penrith players next year so there’s no doubt which way they are leaning.

The loss of Stefano Utoikamanu and other players to Melbourne should see them support Penrith.

Verdict: Panthers

EELS

Although a salary cap-exceeding Storm denied the Eels the 2009 premiership, the bitter rivalry with their western Sydney neighbours is the deciding factor.

Penrith became the first team since Parramatta to win three straight grand finals last year and, should they clinch a fourth, will strip the Eels of the last bragging rights from their team of the 1980s. That would be too much for Parra fans to bear.

Eels fans are still hurt over the 2009 premiership loss to Melbourne, but the loss to the Panthers in 2022 cuts deeper. Picture: Getty Images

Verdict: Storm

KNIGHTS

Knights fans might feel a kinship to their Penrith brothers – fellow working class types who all spawn kiddies that dream of playing in the NRL. But it’s hard to get a read on your average Novocastrian.

Likely to be watching re-runs of 1997 and 2001 as a pre-game warm-up and then screaming “It’s better than Lego” every time former Knights Josh King and Nick Meaney touch the ball.

Verdict: Undecided

RAIDERS

Craig Bellamy’s blood is lime green (and he’s Ricky Stuart’s bestie) but Raiders fans can’t bring themselves to go for Victorians.

Canberra’s legendary battles with Penrith in the 1990 and 1991 grand finals have forever linked these two clubs and Raiders fans – who turn very blue come Origin time – will stick solid with the Panthers.

The friendship between Craig Bellamy and Ricky Stuart may be enough to sway Raiders fans. Picture: Supplied

Verdict: Panthers

DRAGONS

One fateful Jamie Ainscough coathanger in 1999 will forever haunt Dragons fans whenever Melbourne are mentioned.

Penrith’s dynastic run is edging ever closer to the untouchable Red V mark of 11 straight but seeing as that looks safe, angsty Dragons supporters will continue sticking needles into their Rodney Howe voodoo dolls.

Dragons fans will never forgive Melbourne for their controversial loss in the 1999 grand final.

Verdict: Panthers

WARRIORS

Jahrome Hughes and Nelson Asofa-Solomona (before he was banned) get the Storm over the line across the ditch.

NZ coach Andrew Webster might be a Penrith product but the weird connection New Zealanders feel to Queensland come Origin time also probably pushes them towards Melbourne.

Verdict: Storm

Originally published as NRL 2024 grand final: Who should neutral fans cheer for? Melbourne Storm or Penrith Panthers?