A mascot, Iceland and a hit movie — how the Viking Clap came about
ANZ Stadium will be shaken to its core on Sunday when Canberra Raiders fans perform a record-breaking Viking Clap. But where did this famous pre-match ritual originate?
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ANZ Stadium will be shaken to its core on Sunday when Canberra Raiders fans rise to their feet to perform a record-breaking Viking Clap.
The ominous sound of the Viking horn and two beats of a booming drum will signal the start of the thunderous clap that will reverberate around the stadium as it reaches a crescendo, striking terror into the hearts of Sydney Roosters fans.
But where did this famous pre-match build-up originate?
The seed was planted when Raiders supporters spotted a video of Icelandic soccer fans performing the chant as part of the UEFO Euro 2016 soccer competition and the idea rapidly gained momentum.
Icelandic fans actually snaffled the idea from a Scottish soccer side when their team Stjarnan played Motherwell in the Europa Cup in 2014.
It’s believed Motherwell drew inspiration for the chant from the 2006 blockbuster film 300, starring Scottish actor Gerard Butler as Leonidas the Spartan.
The Minnesota Vikings introduced it to the NFL in the United States but they sound their horn after the clap just before kick off.
The Seattle Sounders also have their own version.
But it was the Icelandic version that spurred Canberra Raiders fans including Julian Hayes and Michael Cerne as well as the Raiders’ very own mascot Victor the Viking, aka Tony Wood, to separately lobby the club’s promotions team to adopt the chant.
The first version of the Raiders Viking Clap was simply doing the Clap itself, approximately 20 minutes before match kick-off against Parramatta on August 21, 2016.
This attempt was facilitated by an online campaign the day prior by the Raiders media unit, following the urging from members and fans.
From here, two subsequent finals series matches were played in Canberra shortly thereafter with the standalone Viking Clap again rolled out.
It was an instant hit.
The point of difference with the Raiders’ chant is the sounding of the horn, which serves as the “Call to Arms” for everyone to stand up with their arms poised in a V-shape in readiness of the clap.
The horn, which will be sounded by Raiders legend Mal Meninga, was created by Gundagai electrician Wayne Pollack.
“There was a feeling in the crowd that night that we’d found our war cry,” Mr Wood said.
“The look on people’s faces was: ‘That worked, this is ours’.
“The idea may have originated in Iceland but this was something the Canberra Raiders had picked up and made their own.
“The Parramatta fans had no answer for it, they were in awe of it.”
For 36 years Mr Wood, 54, has enjoyed a front-row seat as the Raiders mascot but he still can’t get enough of that clap, which is expected to be performed by as many as 60,000 spectators on grand final day.
“Every time that drum goes ‘boom, boom’ and the crowd goes off it goes right to your heart and makes you shiver,” Mr Wood said.
The clap has done wonders for boosting attendance at Raiders home games.
“People come to a game of rugby league in Canberra because of the Viking Clap,” he said.
“This game this weekend is the pinnacle of Rugby League and we are going to have the Viking clap there creating a magical moment.”
Mr Wood went to the first Raiders trial game at Seiffert Oval with his brother where they made giant banners in support of the new team.
He became the mascot in 1983 as an 18-year-old when a bus load of supporters, on their way back from watching a game against the Western Suburbs Magpies at Lidcombe Oval, came up with the concept.
“Mark the Magpie was the long-serving mascot in the league and if the game got boring you’d look at him and think: ‘God, he’s funny.
“We thought: ‘Canberra needs a mascot, what about Victor the Viking?’
Thirty six years later he is in “raptures” about the team making “the big dance”.
Mr Wood was so emotional at last Friday’s preliminary final victory that he removed Victor’s head so people could see the tears of joy running down his face.
It was only the second time he’d removed the head in public.
“No-one could even talk to me leading up to that game I was so emotional.
“I’m a 54-year-old man and I just burst into tears.
“To go into a final in front of home fans at a packed out stadium when everyone was dressed in green was one of the most uplifting feelings I’ve had at the club in years.
“The feeling when Josh Papalii scored that try, the whole crowd just lifted as one, there were people kissing, hugging and high-fiving each other. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”