Khod Hand Investigation

[NT_Tiger]

Minimum khod = sucked in
Maximum khod = up yours

The question is; Will they investigate the full spectrum?

 

[JB9918]

Warnings for all 3 plus an additional sanction for Naden. Seems about right. They had to do something with all the drama. After this round everyone will be talking about something else.

Focus will turn to the Panthers & all trainers on field antics. Ours is an isolated incident from a player perspective. Will be interesting though if focus turns to the Bulldogs supporter group...

 

[Flash089]

I know what a khawd can mean. Here’s why the NRL is struggling to understand Tigers gesture

Story by Michael Chammas

As the NRL contemplates what to do with the Wests Tigers players who gave Bulldogs fans a ‘khawd’ on Sunday afternoon, it’s important to point out the complexities surrounding the historic use of the Arabic gesture.

As someone of Middle Eastern background who grew up in the heavily Arab-populated western Sydney suburb of Merrylands, few are better qualified to explain the connotations of the khawd.

While some in Middle Eastern culture find it derogatory, it also carries a more playful undertone that is becoming increasingly dominant with the younger generation in postcodes where you’ll find an OG charcoal chicken shop.

Khawd by definition means “take that” or “cop that”. It can be used as an “up yours”, but in recent years it has also become something of an affectionate gesture used among the Australian-Arabic community. It’s all in the context and execution.

Even at Sunday’s games there were different examples of the sign. Proud Lebanese Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz spotted fellow Lebanese Tigers player Adam Doueihi across CommBank Stadium before the game.

No hugs. No fancy handshakes. Just a “lek khawd” from across the field with a smile that was part, ‘We’re going to smash you later’ and part, ‘Love you, brother’.

This is where it becomes murky for the NRL. Administrators may not fully grasp the meaning of the gesture or when/how it can be used and are relying on the interpretation of others to determine whether they should be amused or handing out breach notices for bringing the game into disrepute.

There’s no doubt the Tigers players, fuelled by emotion in a spiteful game, meant the gesture as an “up yours” to Doggies fans who give out khawds for fun.

And quite often, it is for fun. Like when you beat your brother 4-3 with a 90th-minute winner in a game of FIFA after he spent the whole match talking up how good he is. You give him a khawd.

When Bulldogs fans gather for a photo and don’t want to stand there posing awkwardly – as highlighted on social media over the past few days – they give the camera a khawd.

When the Tigers wrap up a sweet victory over the Bulldogs with Lachlan Galvin at halfback after his messy mid-season walk-out, you definitely give a khawd.

The Arabic community has been bemused during the past 48 hours as the rugby league news cycle discovers a gesture that has now skyrocketed in popularity, despite some horrific pronunciations by my friends in the media.

It’s not “quad”. It’s not “cord”. Or khouf, as our Mediterranean brother Braith Anasta pronounced it on NRL360 on Monday night, an attempt that sounded more like a Greek island than an Arabic sledge.

The “khhh” needs to sound like you’re clearing your throat, finished off with an ‘awd’ that is said with the kind of passion the Tigers finally played with on Sunday.

The Bulldogs complained to the NRL on behalf of some of their fans who took offence to the Tigers’ gesture. But did those fans take offence to the gesture, or because they were on the receiving end of it?

And what does the NRL do now? Punish players for a gesture that has connotations that are as difficult to understand as the word is to pronounce for the non-Arabic speaking community?

The NRL is concerned that by doing nothing it will create a rod for its back the next time a player goes down the more traditional route of flipping the bird at the crowd.

They’ve previously handed out breaches to players for doing so, hitting Matt Lodge with a $5000 fine when he raised his middle finger to the Gold Coast Titans crowd while playing for the Warriors in 2021.

Brent Naden would’ve become familiar with the khawd during his tenure at Belmore. He was one of three players, along with Samuela Fainu and Latu Fainu, to use the gesture towards to the crowd on Sunday.

He followed it up after the game with a video of giving the khawd and saying “f—ing dogs”. It was meant to be a private message, but ended up being shared on social media.

Naden will probably be fined by the NRL for doubling down. But Sunday’s events should be seen as an illustration of the unmatched tribalism, rough edges and all, that sets rugby league apart from other competitions – like the potentially forthcoming Rugby 360.

The Tigers have been bashed for more than a decade. I’ve pulled on the gloves and dispensed an uppercut or three. But Sunday afternoon was as good as it gets for their long-suffering fans, who were entitled to enjoy the moment.

They beat the team whose coach rejected them. The team whose halfback walked out on them for. And did it in front of a rival supporter base who continues to take great pleasure in their misery.

If ever a situation called for a khawd, Sunday was it. Play on.

All this hoo ha about a hand gesture. It’s hardly a complex issue. Real issues are ignored by journos such as the systemic corruption of the salary cap & 3rd party payments that favour top performing teams. The NRL loves this fluffy non event because the lazy journos can be counted on to run with the pack. All the footage I’ve seen of the doggies supporters at that end showed the Up Yours or Khouda Whouda Shouda gestures flying thick towards the Tigers players. Also maybe the grubbiest supporters in the League should stop marrying their first cousins. That might improve the gene pool.

 

[bptiger 0]

Warnings for all 3 plus an additional sanction for Naden. Seems about right. They had to do something with all the drama. After this round everyone will be talking about something else.

Focus will turn to the Panthers & all trainers on field antics. Ours is an isolated incident from a player perspective. Will be interesting though if focus turns to the Bulldogs supporter group...

It would be alright if it was just a warning , but the nrl want to fine our players and even give them missed games , I wonder if it was , the storm , roooters or broncos , what the nrl would have done , bugger all I think , we always seem to get the wrong end of the stick

 

[Tom Shines]

It would be alright if it was just a warning , but the nrl want to fine our players and even give them missed games , I wonder if it was , the storm , roooters or broncos , what the nrl would have done , bugger all I think , we always seem to get the wrong end of the stick

Huh ? missed games ? They did just give them warnings except for dopey Naden who got a fine for his on line antics

 

[Banterboi]

If jts so offensive why they dont cry about their own players doing it

 

[4jtigers]

It would be alright if it was just a warning , but the nrl want to fine our players and even give them missed games , I wonder if it was , the storm , roooters or broncos , what the nrl would have done , bugger all I think , we always seem to get the wrong end of the stick

I am glad it is officially just a warning. With regards to Naden, he should choose his friends carefully and I guess this would be a blessing in disguise for him. He would hopefully now think twice before doing something like that even if he is just posting it to gee up some of his friends.

 

[4jtigers]

If jts so offensive why they dont cry about their own players doing it
View attachment 26355

If you watch the video of the try celebration. Their fans were giving it back to the Tigers players and they were smiling. One had the middle finger up not the khod. I don't think they were even upset by it, they were upset because they were losing but not because of the hand gesture.

 

[tigeress]

These blokes deserve whatever they get....if they were willing to put as much effort in to winning matches week and week out, we'd be at the top of the ladder by now.
Utter stupidity.

 

[LeichhardtTiger]

Too much culture for me

Yep - I find it hilarious that apparently Arabic fans were upset by a gesture that they themselves invented and used. Meanwhile, Legend Wally Lewis smiles on.

 

[LeichhardtTiger]

If you watch the video of the try celebration. Their fans were giving it back to the Tigers players and they were smiling. One had the middle finger up not the khod. I don't think they were even upset by it, they were upset because they were losing but not because of the hand gesture.

Yep, it's a complete load of khodswallop! Move on #NRL

 

[Betterdays22]

Warnings for all 3 plus an additional sanction for Naden. Seems about right. They had to do something with all the drama. After this round everyone will be talking about something else.

Focus will turn to the Panthers & all trainers on field antics. Ours is an isolated incident from a player perspective. Will be interesting though if focus turns to the Bulldogs supporter group...

How about we all stop giving this shit oxygen now? It's been dealt with, there is no conspiracy to ban Tigers players and 99% of people arabic speaking or not couldn't care less.

There is now a nice rivalry building between us and the dogs. Hope our boys back it up again next time we play them

 

[Milky]

So basically a little shush up from the NRL to our players to shut the dogs fans up

Doing us a favour by potentially suspending Naden given he played his one half decent game a year

Thank you NRL and Bulldogs 🙏🏼

Now we can enjoy our 2 points in peace

 

[tonza]

So the bulldogs player did it to a tigers player first... Then the bulldogs complain to the NRL about it... 😂😂

I did not really know what the meaning of the middle finger meant. Not sure I do now either. In the photo of the crowd when this happened, I noticed a lady with her thumb pointing down. What does this mean in Arabic. I know what it meant in Gladiator.

 

[hammertime]

Love that our guys are so inclusive of other cultures! Keep it up lads.

 

[innsaneink]

Not surprised the nrl only look at this from the extreme derogatory angle when its been pointed out numerous times it can also be light hearted and not offensive.

I think this will put the spotlight on dog fans even more they better watch themselves

Hope Pus Gould enjoys our warnings (petty old sook)...we'll enjoy the win and 2 points bahahah

 

[TT 01]

I hope the media and NRL understand that by giving this so much oxygen they will actually create division and issues amongst fans now. You watch the number of Khods getting around at dogs games now

 

[tig_prmz]

They had to do something to set a precedence. If they let it go without a warning or anything, kids in Junior leagues will start doing it too thinking there won't be a consequence.

I think the NRL have made the right decision. Give them caution but not "punish" them. They could have punished them to make the Arabic supporters happy, but they used common sense.

My issue is that the Dogs are the one who raised it. Hope they get buried for being little snitches on Social Media. You can see Gus is edgy talking about anything to do with Tigers or Galvin.

Chammas has been MVP for us this year.

 

[mtd#2]

Meanwhile Kiraz gets off with no warning or fine, performed the same action on the same field on the same day.

 

[clontarfkid]

Great distraction by Gould to what was a shocking performance of their newly announced "entertainers "strategy facilitated by Galvins recruitment...
Worked well in the dry vs Manly the previous week.but wet not conducive
Other issue is they led comp with great defence and Sextons organsation and short kicking game
Those issues have been parked for the moment,particularly by the Gus fearing elements of the media