Meet the Bulldogs cheerleading squad though, and you'll soon discard the image that the sport is nothing more than size-eight blondes shaking pom poms.
Being a rugby league cheerleader is serious business, with personality as important as looks and backflip skills.
The latest round of wannabes turned up at a Punchbowl dance studio in western Sydney one night this week, for a chance to join the Bulldogs squad.
Primary school teacher Kathleen Doorey, from Chipping Norton went along to have a crack at a fourth season cheering for the Doggies.
The 21-year-old, also a professional dancer, said cheerleading was a way to make extra cash and keep fit, while supporting her favourite team.
"It's been really enjoyable, it's just so much fun to be surrounded by such a great atmosphere," Doorey said.
"I actually didn't get into league until I started cheerleading, now I wouldn't cheer for any other team."
However she admitted it sometimes got competitive, and there were negative images associated with it.
"People will just say `oh she's a cheerleader she doesn't know anything,' but it's so hard training," Doorey said.
"If you're not prepared to put in the effort, there's someone kicking down the door to get your spot."
Abby Martin, who had her first crack at making the squad, said there were different perceptions between the sexes regarding the sport.
"For the guys, I think they think that it's sexy and they love the cheerleaders, but for the girls it's just a fancy performance," said the 19-year-old, who hopes to pursue an acting career.
There's also the idea that scantily-clad women in such a testosterone-charged sport could hurt the game's image.
This is something that the NRL's education and welfare committee Professor Catherine Lumby disputes.
Lumby, appointed following the league sex scandals last year, conducted a research project on cheerleading along with representatives from the Rape Crisis Centre.
"What we concluded is that there's no connection between having women in a cheerleading role and the sexual harassment of women," Lumby said.
"It would send absolutely the wrong message to young men to suggest that by asking cheerleaders to cover up or dance in a non-provocative manner, that this in any way has any connection or bearing on the treatment of women."
She said the sport was just another style of dancing found across popular culture and that cheerleaders were intelligent and talented people.
Sandra Fleeton, the manager of the squad for the past four years, said the girls came from all walks of life.
"We've had medical students, we've had school teachers, we've had a lot of university students," she said.
Fleeton acts as a mother figure to the girls, but comes down hard if they don't pull their weight.
"We pride ourselves on being totally different to the other groups. We're not just pom pom shakers, we're all professional dancers," she said.
All girls must turn up for weekly rehearsals or they are dropped from games.
Under no circumstances should any girl socialise with any players, a policy across the whole cheerleading program.
"It's (the program) a very positive promotion, it's family entertainment," Fleeton said, adding it was a way of attracting women to the NRL.
"When the girls are out there, they're not also performing just for the fellas there, but also the women."
She said last year's rape allegations against Bulldog players had not turned women off wanting to be involved in the squad.
"We've never had any negative feedback, if anything people want to be part of the Bulldogs cheerleaders," Fleeton said.
She said there were many young women who "would do anything" to get to know NRL players, but she had never encountered this during her time in the sport.