LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Manly forward Jazz Tevaga has expressed regret for mocking Canberra fans with their own 'Viking clap' during the Sea Eagles' 28-12 loss to Canberra on Friday night. Following a week of controversy surrounding post-try celebrations, Tevaga's actions proved ill-fated.
After teammate Tolutau Koula scored in the 46th minute, which initially put the Sea Eagles ahead, Tevaga was seen mimicking the Viking clap-a tradition embraced by Raiders fans that is performed before home games. This bravado, however, soon backfired as the Raiders responded with a surge of three unanswered tries, sealing Manly's third consecutive loss without scoring again.
Following the match, Raiders supporters inundated Tevaga's Instagram with comments about his clap. Amid the feedback, one comment suggested he "practice the clap some more," to which Tevaga replied, "No thanks. Never again." He also engaged with various other remarks, some of which turned quite hostile.
This incident followed closely in the wake of Wests Tigers players getting into trouble with the NRL for their interactions with Bulldogs fans during a post-try celebration. Brent Naden received a breach notice, and three other players were issued warnings for making an offensive 'khawd' gesture, which can be interpreted as an equivalent to the middle finger. The NRL recognized that such actions could offend members of the community, prompting their response.