NRL GF the perfect re-entrance for OneRepublic

The NRL Grand Final is the perfect way for American rockers OneRepublic to get back on the road after a touring hiatus and ahead of an upcoming world tour, according to lead singer Ryan Tedder.

OneRepublic is no stranger to huge sporting gigs, having played pre- and post-game shows at the Superbowl and Major League Baseball plus major sporting events in Canada, Europe and Asia.

"I'm a sucker for these types of things," self-professed sports nut Tedder told NRL.com.

"My first response was 'really?' and my second response was 'hell yeah!'

"The biggest stuff that we do, our biggest records, there's an anthemic quality to them – they're very much anthems for punters because I'm a punter."

Tedder grew up in rural Oklahoma, "the single most football-obsessed state in the US", believing he was going to be a professional athlete in between building a passion for singing and song writing.

"I'm from the middle of nowhere in the middle of the US, from the country. I'm just kind of writing songs that 15-year-old me would want to shout at the top of my lungs," he said.

"I just wanted to do the type of music that just resonated with normal people. I was definitely not aiming for the cool kids or the elitists, it was more like guys that I grew with from Oklahoma."

Tedder believes that vibe translates well to the sports fans OneRepublic has played to over the years.

"We're just honoured to be invited to the party and be a part of it, we love sport events," he said.

"I didn't get into writing songs necessarily for sports but for whatever reason the US and everywhere else, our songs end up in so many sporting events and sports television. It's always kind of blown my mind and confused me in a really good way!"

Tedder confirmed the band's multi-platinum 2013 hit Counting Stars would definitely form part of the NRL Grand Final set, while follow-up hits Something I Need and Love Runs Out plus recent release Rescue Me could also appear.

"We're going to keep the energy up," he said.

"I'll be honest, we're going for sing-a-longs. I'm going to imagine that I'm in the stands and a couple of drinks in, what do I want to hear? It's basic, I want to sing the stuff that people want to sing back."

Tedder is no stranger to rugby league either, having been to Australia around a dozen times over the years including a stint working on season five of The Voice. He has also absorbed the sport while working with Australians including Sydney singer-songwriter Matt Corby and world-famous Sydney band 5 Seconds of Summer.

"The physicality of it is mind-blowing," Tedder said.

"I've worked with enough Australians over the years and been down there enough and watched enough games, I'm enamoured by rugby.

"My brother in law played for years, I've had other friends that have played in semi-pro leagues and so I've actually watched it quite a bit, I'm blown away by rugby."