LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Wests Tigers have come under scrutiny following an incident involving centre Brent Naden, who is now facing a fine after receiving a breach notice from the NRL. This notice was issued due to Naden reportedly using an offensive Middle Eastern hand gesture during and after the team's recent victory over the Bulldogs.
During the match, Naden, along with several other Tigers players, employed the khawd gesture, which is considered the Arab equivalent of the middle finger. The situation escalated when Naden repeated the gesture in a now-deleted social media post post-match.
In response to multiple complaints from Bulldogs supporters, the NRL began an investigation at the request of the club. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo confirmed on Tuesday that action was being taken regarding the players' conduct.
The NRL released a statement on Wednesday morning noting that three unnamed players received an official warning related to their behavior during the game. The statement clarified, "The NRL acknowledges that these actions caused, or had the potential to cause, offence to members of the NRL community."
Regarding Naden, the statement added, "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."