LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Wests Tigers are facing pressure to take action against players involved in an incident deemed offensive towards Bulldogs fans after their recent game, which they won 28-14. An investigation by the NRL is underway regarding the actions of several Tigers players following a try scored by Samuela Fainu.
During the 70th minute of the match, Fainu and his teammates reportedly taunted Canterbury fans by making a "khod" gesture, akin to "flipping the bird" in the Arabic community. The Bulldogs, who have a notable number of Arabic-speaking supporters, have lodged a complaint with the NRL's integrity unit over the incident.
Veteran league reporter Phil Rothfield commented on NRL 360, indicating the league's disapproval and anticipated fines for the players involved. "I can say that the NRL didn't like it and I'm told there will be a punishment," Rothfield said. He further elaborated on the potential consequences by comparing it to a recent AFL incident where a player was fined $1,500 for a similar gesture. Rothfield noted that the Tigers players seen making the gesture, including Fainu, his brother Latu, Sunia Turuva, and Brent Naden, could face the same penalty.
This incident has overshadowed the Tigers' victory and raised concerns about the club's image, with NRL commentator Andrew Voss questioning the lack of immediate action from the Tigers. Voss believes the club should address the misconduct proactively rather than wait for the NRL's decision. "What happens if a player just flips the bird to the crowd? Would the NRL take action to that? 100% they would," he said on SEN radio. He emphasized that the club's sponsors may not appreciate being represented by such behavior and argued that the Tigers should have promptly addressed their players' actions instead of awaiting external sanctions.
"If you're a sponsor, is that how you want the club to represent you? Should the Tigers have waited for the NRL to take action? Or should the Tigers have got on the front foot and said that 'we don't stand for that'? I believe they should've taken action on their players straight away and told them to pull their heads in," Voss concluded.