Latest news with #SamuelaFainu
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
How a controversial hand gesture divided opinion in the NRL
The NRL showed leniency on Wednesday by letting off Wests Tigers players with a warning after they used a gesture offensive to some Lebanese-Australian communities in Sunday's victory over Canterbury-Bankstown. But the sanction is unlikely to satisfy everyone given the range of responses elicited, from those outraged to others who believe the act was 'just a bit of banter'. Celebrating a second-half try to seal an upset Tigers' win against the high-flying Bulldogs in pouring rain at Parramatta, backrower Samuela Fainu made a hand gesture known as 'the khawd', and his teammates quickly joined in. Almost one in five residents of Bankstown have Lebanese ancestry, and the Bulldogs' fanbase has a strong association with Arab communities in Sydney's west. The club holds an annual Ifthar dinner each year during Ramadan and one of its favourite sons is Lebanon-born former winger Hazem El-Masri. Many Bulldogs fans in the stands on Sunday took offence at the sign made by the raucous Tigers players, some returning with a khawd of their own, while others put their thumbs down or raised their middle finger. But this was not a straightforward Tigers v Bulldogs debate. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo admitted on Tuesday he had to 'learn up' about the gesture and its sensitivities. Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek – who will host a charity sleepout with the Bulldogs on Friday – declined to comment. Lebanese-Australian former Tigers hooker Ben Elias expressed firm views in the immediate aftermath. 'It's an ugly sign of hatred and these are the kind of actions that create issues and problems. It should be removed from the game immediately,' Elias told the Daily Telegraph. 'It was obviously aimed at the Lebanese. It means 'go and get fucked'. There's no need for it and there's no place in the game for it. The last thing you want to see is kids who idolise these players start repeating those hands signs and thinking it's cool.' Not all Lebanese-Australians immediately reach the same conclusions when they see the gesture. Jacob Kiraz, the Bulldogs' backline hero and son of Lebanese migrants, has been pictured using the khawd in a friendly manner. Prominent Bulldogs podcast the Kennel sought to provide context amid the storm of attention this week. 'Khawd literally means 'take this' in Arabic. If done to a mate it's the funniest thing, but when done in spite people will literally kill each other over giving each other the khawd,' its host Elmo said. But he believes the incident has been blown out of proportion. 'I don't understand why they've made a complaint. It's nothing, it's just a bit of banter. It's just like giving fans the finger. Move on.' After the Bulldogs expressed their displeasure to the NRL following the game, and due to the attention the controversy has attracted, the governing body was compelled to to act. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion A formal warning was given to three Tigers players on Wednesday. 'The NRL acknowledges that these actions caused, or had the potential to cause, offence to members of the NRL community,' the league's statement read. The penalty was relatively light, given this week the Penrith Panthers were fined $50,000 and had trainer Corey Bocking suspended for five matches for interfering with Gold Coast kicker Jayden Campbell during a conversion attempt. However, a harsher sanction was handed to Tigers' back Brent Naden. He was one of the players who gave the crowd the khawd on Sunday, but went further than his teammates in sharing a video of him using the gesture after the match, and accompanying it by saying 'fucking dogs'. Naden has been hit with a breach notice and is expected to face a fine. He and the club have five days to respond.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Footy star breaks silence on the controversial try celebration that has rocked the NRL
Samuela Fainu has explained that the controversial 'khod' or 'khawd' gesture he and some of his team-mates performed during the Wests Tigers' underdog victory against Canterbury was never meant to cause harm. The 21-year-old explained that the gesture, which can be seen as offensive in some Arabic and Lebanese cultures, is used by he and his friends in a 'light-hearted' manner to poke a playful jibe at one another. Fainu scored the Tigers ' final try in their gazumping of flag hopefuls, the Bulldogs, on Sunday, with Benji Marshall's side clinching a 28-14 victory at the CommBank Stadium. But an unsavoury talking point has emerged following the match, after Fainu and his team-mate Brent Naden were seen performing the gesture, which sees individuals raise their hand and point their middle finger downwards. In Arabic, the literal translation of the word 'khod' means 'take', with some using the gesture with the word 'khod' to say 'take that', an apparent insult that some have likened to be similar to 'up yours' or raising a middle finger. Fainu, 21, and Naden, 29, were seen directing the symbol towards some Bulldogs supporters in the stands at the stadium as they celebrated the try. However, the Doggies were less than impressed by the celebrations and issued a request to the NRL to investigate the matter. A video of Naden performing the 'khod' while saying 'f***ing Dogs' also appeared on social media after the match. The centre has since been issued with a breach notice by the NRL over the matter and could cop a punishment. The NRL simultaneously issued a warning to the Tigers on Wednesday over the matter, stating: 'The NRL acknowledges that these actions caused, or had the potential to cause offence to members of the NRL community. 'Separately, the NRL has issued a breach notice to Wests Tigers Player Brent Naden. 'The notice alleges that Naden's conduct following the Wests Tigers match on 3 August 2025 contravened the NRL Code of Conduct. The Player will have five days to respond to the breach notice.' Fainu, who joined the club from the Sea Eagles ahead of the 2024 season, has enjoyed a great 2025 so far, scoring four tries across 17 appearances, averaging 77m per game. However, while speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, he revealed that the gesture was meant to be more of an affectionate joke between friends. 'The hand gesture I made on Sunday was never intended to hurt or cause harm,' Fainu told the outlet. 'It's something I've always shared as light-hearted banter with my friends and even my own brothers. 'We've done it in a playful manner for years, even over a card game, it's just a part of how we joke around with each other. 'I've got a lot of Arabic friends as I've grown up with them and have embraced their culture, some of my closest mates, even my agent is Lebanese, I love them.' In another twist to the tale, an image has been circulating online, appearing to show Bulldogs fullback Jacob Kiraz giving Tigers five-eighth Adam Doueihi a 'friendly' khod before the game. Both players have Lebanese heritage. Meanwhile, some social media users clapped back at the Bulldogs and their supporters, branding them 'hypocrites' after an image appeared online showing Doggies fans appearing to pose during a match performing the 'khod' symbol. Some have been stunned by the backlash the Tigers players have received over the bizarre incident. 'Bunch of sooks (Bulldogs supporters) - well done Tigers for dishing it back in perfect style,' said one fan on X in response. 'Turn the focus on your own fan's behaviour before whinging,' suggested another. 'This is funny....I thought the Bulldogs were a tough club and their fans best in the NRL. Yet [they] cry over some banter! 'All of a sudden, they get offended so easily. Harden up,' a third said. '(This is the) pot calling the kettle black,' a fourth weighed in with. But others have criticised the behaviour of the players, including former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who has Lebanese heritage. 'I was pretty shocked when I was watching the game and saw what was going on after that try – I knew what was going on straight away,' Cheika told The Sydney Morning Herald. 'It was very culturally insensitive. They knew what it meant because there were Lebanese players in the team. And they chose to do it in front of kids. They were playing so well, they should have been celebrating with their teammates, not abusing people in the crowd. 'It's a pretty offensive gesture in our culture. It's not cool. The best way to get into the opposition supporters is by doing it on the scoreboard.
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
How a controversial hand gesture divided opinion in the NRL
The NRL showed leniency on Wednesday by letting off Wests Tigers players with a warning after they used a gesture offensive to some Lebanese-Australian communities in Sunday's victory over Canterbury-Bankstown. But the sanction is unlikely to satisfy everyone given the range of responses elicited, from those outraged to others who believe the act was 'just a bit of banter'. Celebrating a second-half try to seal an upset Tigers' win against the high-flying Bulldogs in pouring rain at Parramatta, backrower Samuela Fainu made a hand gesture known as 'the khawd', and his teammates quickly joined in. Almost one in five residents of Bankstown have Lebanese ancestry, and the Bulldogs' fanbase has a strong association with Arab communities in Sydney's west. The club holds an annual Ifthar dinner each year during Ramadan and one of its favourite sons is Lebanon-born former winger Hazem El-Masri. Many Bulldogs fans in the stands on Sunday took offence at the sign made by the raucous Tigers players, some returning with a khawd of their own, while others put their thumbs down or raised their middle finger. But this was not a straightforward Tigers v Bulldogs debate. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo admitted on Tuesday he had to 'learn up' about the gesture and its sensitivities. Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek – who will host a charity sleepout with the Bulldogs on Friday – declined to comment. Lebanese-Australian former Tigers hooker Ben Elias expressed firm views in the immediate aftermath. 'It's an ugly sign of hatred and these are the kind of actions that create issues and problems. It should be removed from the game immediately,' Elias told the Daily Telegraph. 'It was obviously aimed at the Lebanese. It means 'go and get fucked'. There's no need for it and there's no place in the game for it. The last thing you want to see is kids who idolise these players start repeating those hands signs and thinking it's cool.' Not all Lebanese-Australians immediately reach the same conclusions when they see the gesture. Jacob Kiraz, the Bulldogs' backline hero and son of Lebanese migrants, has been pictured using the khawd in a friendly manner. Prominent Bulldogs podcast the Kennel sought to provide context amid the storm of attention this week. 'Khawd literally means 'take this' in Arabic. If done to a mate it's the funniest thing, but when done in spite people will literally kill each other over giving each other the khawd,' its host Elmo said. But he believes the incident has been blown out of proportion. 'I don't understand why they've made a complaint. It's nothing, it's just a bit of banter. It's just like giving fans the finger. Move on.' After the Bulldogs expressed their displeasure to the NRL following the game, and due to the attention the controversy has attracted, the governing body was compelled to to act. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion A formal warning was given to three Tigers players on Wednesday. 'The NRL acknowledges that these actions caused, or had the potential to cause, offence to members of the NRL community,' the league's statement read. The penalty was relatively light, given this week the Penrith Panthers were fined $50,000 and had trainer Corey Bocking suspended for five matches for interfering with Gold Coast kicker Jayden Campbell during a conversion attempt. However, a harsher sanction was handed to Tigers' back Brent Naden. He was one of the players who gave the crowd the khawd on Sunday, but went further than his teammates in sharing a video of him using the gesture after the match, and accompanying it by saying 'fucking dogs'. Naden and the club have five days to respond.
The Australian
06-08-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
NRL gets Wests Tigers ‘khawd' punishment right
The NRL gave the Wests Tigers and their players exactly what they deserved for using the 'khawd' or 'khod' gesture at the weekend - a slap on the wrist. This wasn't the crime of the century. It didn't deserve a meaty suspension or heavy fines. Certainly, in the case of the three players who used it in the heat of the moment after Samuela Fainu scored the match-sealing try at CommBank Stadium, there was no need to drop the hammer. It was an emotional game and abuse was flying in both directions. Tigers players were savaged all day by Bulldogs supporters. Tigers captain Jarome Luai was loudly jeered even before the game began. The appearance of Lachlan Galvin against his former club meant the game would always be played on the knife's edge. Against that backdrop, a few players got a little carried away and made an Arabic gesture after Fainu and his teammates celebrated a moment that moved them out of wooden spoon contention and confirmed their improvement this season. Their celebrations went a little too far, although others have pointed out in recent days that the 'khawd' can have different meanings depending on the circumstances. In no way am I condoning what they did given the crowd behind the goalposts where the try was scored was littered with women and children. But you need to read the room and the NRL have. They handed out warnings for the on-field action and have taken a dimmer view of Brent Naden's actions afterwards, when he took to social media to repeat the gesture in a private message using some colourful language for effect. Naden had time to think about what he did. It wasn't in the heat of the moment. It was a calculated decision, albeit a private one that found its way into the public domain. He deserved a whack from head office. As for the others, play on. Most people I have spoken to about the gesture have taken little offence. Most didn't even realise what the Tigers players were doing. I certainly didn't. Clearly, not everyone is as sensitive as Balmain legend Benny Elias who described the hand sign as an 'ugly form of hatred'. The sense I get is that Elias is in the minority. The NRL clearly agree. Brent Read Senior Sports Writer Brent Read is one of rugby league's agenda setters but is also among the nation's most well-known golf writers. He also covers Olympic sports, writing with authority, wit and enthusiasm. Brent began his career in sport as a soccer player, playing with the Brisbane Strikers in the NSL. NRL West Tigers centre Brent Naden has been hit with a breach notice after the NRL's investigation into his 'khawd' celebration against the Bulldogs, with a trio of other stars officially warned. NRL A Queensland Origin squad member and Dolphin is on the verge of returning to his former club on a two-year deal.
News.com.au
05-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘That's no good': Bulldogs star wasn't aware of Khod gesture as the blue and whites prepare for brutal five weeks before finals
Bulldogs forward Josh Curran says he was unaware of the Khod hand gesture that several Wests Tigers players allegedly flashed at Canterbury fans during Sunday's shock result at CommBank Stadium. Brent Naden and Samuela Fainu were some of the players involved in the heated moment 10 minutes from full-time when Fainu crashed over to put the result beyond doubt. The players made the gesture towards Bulldogs fans at that end of the field, with Canterbury officials lodging a complaint to the NRL who are investigating the incident and considering if any penalties are warranted. Fainu extends the Tigers lead! ðŸ'° Watch #NRLTigersBulldogs on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: âœ�ï¸� BLOG ðŸ'¢ MATCH CENTRE — Fox League (@FOXNRL) August 3, 2025 'What did they do? I haven't seen any social media,' Curran said. When the incident was explained to him at Bulldogs headquarters in Belmore, Curran backed the club's supporters and thanked them for supporting them during Sydney's wild weather last week. 'That's no good. All we have to do is go out there and win,' he said. 'Our fans are a big part of us and we love our fans. Our fans turn up no matter what. It was pouring down rain (on Sunday) and we still had fans out there.' Tigers fullback Jahream Bula refused to comment on his teammates' actions when asked on Tuesday. The loss bumped the Bulldogs out of the all-important top two ahead of a showdown with the fourth-placed Warriors who could fall to seventh if results don't go their way this week. It's a big game for the Bulldogs who were poor in the first half last week but have the chance to silence their critics who argue they haven't beaten many of the top teams. They produced a huge second-half comeback to win in Canberra earlier in the year but have already lost twice to the Broncos and were beaten by Penrith in the game of the season. They finish the regular season with games against the Roosters, Storm, Panthers and Sharks, which will tell them exactly how they're travelling going into the finals. 'I don't think we have to prove anything to anyone,' Curran said. 'I feel like over the last two years that we haven't proven anything to anyone, but we've proved to ourselves each week what we can do. 'The games that we've lost, we've looked into it and we just killed ourselves, so I don't think we have to prove anything to anyone.'
