John Howard downing a tinny with Brisbane Broncos player Kevin Walters after their grand final win in 1998. Photo: Andrew Meares

Politicians trying to show they care about football is a bit like mixing hydrogen and oxygen: the results are often unstable and can sometimes blow up in your face.

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The lead-up to grand final week is one of the great traditions in Australian culture. This year sport fans have been blessed with both the NRL and AFL decider falling on the same weekend.

It's no surprise that politicians want to be a part of it. But sometimes the results can be less-than-convincing. Stay away and you'll be branded a wanker, get too close and you risk being booed.

Take Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. He's clearly not the most sporting type, although apparently he does like sailing.

The PM this week posted his tips on Facebook for both grand finals being held this weekend, as well as the rugby World Cup match. We award him six points for trying (that's a goal, by the way, Malcolm).

Ex-PM Kevin Rudd, known for his bookish tastes, was not the most convincing football fan either, although apparently he does have a decent knowledge of sport.

One of the Queenslander's most passionate outbursts was during a Brisbane Lions elimination final against Carlton in 2009.

As the Lions came back from a big deficit to run over the top of the Blues, K-Rudd could be seen in the stands applauding and raising his fists.

Rudd clearly wasn't faking it on that night. He even snuck into the rooms to join the players as they sung the theme song.

Photo: Paul Harris

One of the biggest hurdles for politicians is getting their head around a sport they're not familiar with.

Prime ministers from northern states have to learn the difference between a handball and holding the ball. Those from the south must be schooled in forward passes and offside rules.

Sitting next to Kevin Rudd in Brisbane that night was one of his advisers, Adam Collins. He said politicians understood the importance of football to voters, even if the end result could be a little bit awkward.

"They don't always know much about the game, and will sometimes miss the mark as a result, but good on them for having a go," he said.

Fake it 'til you make it? Here's how some of our other PMs showed us they cared about football.

Tony Abbott got booed at last year's NRL grand final

To be fair to him he's not the first and certainly won't be the last to have that happen. Might have also had something to do with him being a rugby union man.