Hear about the NRL star who dropped dead? Or the Richmond players who refused to wear an AFL rainbow armband?

What about the Brownlow medallist involved in a stoush with Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong on live TV?

If you're a footy fan who follows your code on Facebook, you may be among the millions who have read these and other alarming posts only to discover they're fictitious.

AAP FactCheck staff have found dozens of supposed NRL and AFL fan pages, largely run from Vietnam, pumping out disinformation designed to generate clicks and profits.

Some such as Storm City Rugby Fans (Melbourne Storm), Rooster Pride Hub (Sydney Roosters) and Lions Fanclub (Brisbane Lions) churn out AI-generated content daily.

The posts typically focus on high-profile players and coaches, placing them at the centre of fabricated tragedies, feel-good moments or polarising debates, particularly around LGBTQI issues.

Numerous of them, for example, claim NRL figures James Tedesco, Payne Haas and Craig Bellamy along with AFL players Marcus Bontempelli, Bailey Smith and Josh Weddle have refused to participate in diversity awareness campaigns.

Sydney Swans favourite Isaac Heeney has supposedly clashed with a transgender athlete, while former Brisbane Lions captain Lachie Neale has allegedly testified in court against the so-called ISIS brides.

Melbourne Demons coach Steven King has meanwhile been accused of calling for LGBTQI fans to be banned from the MCG.

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