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Naden fined as Tigers learn fate over alleged offensive gesture
Scott Bailey, AAP • August 6th, 2025 10:18 am
The Tigers' Samuela Fainu made a hand gesture to Canterbury fans after the match | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
The NRL has issued Brent Naden with a breach notice over his social-media post taunting Canterbury, but opted against fining Wests Tigers players for their on-field khawd.
Three days after the Tigers' emotion-fuelled win over the Bulldogs, the NRL issued a trio of players a formal warning on Wednesday morning.
But the league opted against sanctioning the group, with confusion still reigning over the true meaning of the gesture made at Bulldogs supporters on Sunday.
The khawd is known as an equivalent to "flipping the bird" in the Arabic community, with Naden and brothers Samuela and Latu Fainu among the players involved.
Debate raged since Monday over the offensiveness of the gesture, with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo admitting on Tuesday he also had to "learn up" on the matter.
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"The NRL has today issued Wests Tigers with a formal warning that relates to the on-field conduct of three Players on 3 August 2025, during round 22," the NRL said in a statement.
"The NRL acknowledges that these actions caused, or had the potential to cause, offence to members of the NRL community."
Naden, though, is facing a fine from the NRL over a social media video that went viral on Sunday night.
The former Canterbury centre appeared to film himself making the gesture and yelling "f***ing Dogs" to the camera.
"The notice alleges that Naden's conduct following the Wests Tigers match on 3 August 2025 contravened the NRL Code of Conduct," the NRL said.
"The player will have five days to respond to the breach notice."
The NRL's current policy means sanctions are not announced when a breach notice is handed down, but Naden is expected to face a fine over the incident.
Matt Lodge copped a $5000 sanction for sticking up his middle finger at the crowd in the final round of 2021, while playing for the Warriors.
