NRL world up in arms over offensive secret gesture known as the ‘Khod' as Tigers embarrass Bulldogs
Going into Sunday's grudge match, Canterbury was a perfect 12 from 12 against teams in the bottom 9, but they were wiped off the park by the Tigers, as Lachlan Galvin's return against his former club quickly turned into a nightmare.
But one moment in particular rubbed Bulldogs fans the wrong way.
After Jarome Luai put Samuela Fainu through the line to score a try to put the game beyond doubt with just 10 minutes to go, Tigers players erupted in celebration, taunting the usually rowdy Dogs fans who had been shocked into silence.
During the celebrations, Tigers players Samuela Fainu, Latu Fainu, and Brent Naden were seen making a symbol with their hands, as other players waved and gave the claw to Canterbury supporters.
Despite looking innocent enough, news.com.au can reveal the celebration was actually an offensive gesture known as 'the Khod'.
In Arabic, 'Khod' translates to take.
But the 'Khod gesture' which is done by pointing a straight hand to the sky and wiggling the middle finger down towards the palm, translates to 'f*** you'.
It is a gesture that NRL superfan Jean-Claude Bitar has shown fans and players on social media, teaching people how to flip off people the Lebanese way.
'So what you've got to do is put your hand up like you are giving them a high five. Then put this finger down (the middle finger) and point it at them and go 'Khod',' Bitar says in one clip.
And after the Tigers flipped the script on the Dogs, several Tigers players decided to give Canterbury fans the 'Khod'.
Naden and the Fainu brothers both were seen holding their hands up while moving their middle fingers downwards, right in front of Bulldogs supporters.
Camera shots from behind showed several Dogs fans also doing the 'Khod' back at the players, while others reverted to flipping them off the traditional way.
And after Bitar saw the Tigers' celebration, it's safe to say he loved it.
'This is the greatest try celebration and it's not even try July, it is wet August … Keep giving them the 'Khod', up the f***ing Tigers, mate,' Bitar said.
The try and celebration was posted to the NRL's social media accounts as the 'Telstra Moment of the Match', clearly unaware of what the celebration actually meant.
But those who understood the true meaning of the celebration were furious.
'So why has no one raised the disgraceful hand signals the tigers players are doing to the dogs fans?' one fan commented.
'That's disgraceful from the Tigers,' another wrote.
'What the Tigers did is the equivalent of flipping the bird to 9-year-old kids in the stands. Absolute heroes those morons are,' a third added.
After seeing the anger from Bulldogs fans online, Naden doubled down on social media, posting the Khod again as he headed home on Sunday night.
'Khod, f***ing Dogs,' he is heard saying in a video that has since been removed.
Their celebrations only added further insult to the Doggies, who now, incredibly, have lost fewer games against current top 8 sides (2) than the Tigers (3) in 2025.
The Bulldogs will next face the Warriors on Saturday night, in a game that has quickly become crucial in their bid to secure a top-four place.
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