‘That’s bulls**t’: Cocky Panthers fans accused of crossing the line with arrogant act
The Panthers have been slapped with the “arrogant” tag once again after some thought their fans went too far by taunting the Raiders.
The behaviour of cocky Panthers fans has been questioned after the reigning premiers thumped Canberra on Sunday.
Playing at home, Penrith dominated possession and territory all afternoon but only ran away with the game in the last 25 minutes to romp towards a 36-6 victory.
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Midway through the second half, with the Panthers leading 24-6, fans at the foot of the mountains took great delight after Canberra dropped the ball and proceeded to mock the Raiders with their own rendition of the Viking Clap.
The Viking Clap became a staple of Canberra home games a few years ago as a means of supporting their side and intimidating the opposition, but Penrith supporters re-purposed it for themselves to rub salt into the wounds of Jack Wighton and Co.
Fox League commentator Warren Smith said: “Boy, and a mocking Viking Clap from the Panthers crowd.”
NRL great Michael Ennis, who famously trolled Raiders fans with his own Viking Clap while playing for Cronulla, chuckled: “Leave me out of that one, Warren.”
The act divided fans on social media, with some calling it just a bit of fun while others thought it lacked class.
Former NRL veteran Issac Luke hit out on Twitter as he replied to others on social media, believing the Panthers faithful had crossed the line and telling them to “be humble”.
“Just seen the Panthers fans doing the Viking Clap. Are they sweet? #BeHumble,” Luke tweeted.
“But to rub it in their face like that. That’s bulls**t. Anyway I think it will be hard to beat Penrith for any team. What goes around comes around. As long as they got the same energy when they lose. I’m good.
“Love seeing how the younger boys are playing. They seem like they’ve been playing NRL for decades with the way they’re going about it. But always time to be humble about it.
“Don’t get me wrong the boys are making history with how they’re going. When the tide turn and tbh doesn’t look like it will for a while. I hope youse (sic) have the same energy when another team does it.”
The Daily Telegraph reports the Raiders were “privately seething” after Panthers fans mocked their club but coach Ricky Stuart wasn’t in the mood to talk about it in his post-match press conference when asked about the taunt by a journalist.
“I have got not thoughts mate,” Stuart said. “Is that really a big focus point?
“F*** me dead.”
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was also asked if the Viking Clap was disrespectful.
“How do you answer a question about what the crowd do?” Cleary said. “My experience in rugby league is the away teams crowds give it to you constantly.
“All the best stories are from some of the crowds you have got to face.
“I don’t think anyone should be getting too sensitive about stuff like that.
“The crowd pay their money. They are the lifeblood of the game. It is not just your home crowd, it is every crowd.
“That is what you want. You want people turning up in droves, which has been happening. I would imagine because I don’t really know, that it is just a bit of fun and games.”
The Panthers were last year labelled “arrogant” for their exuberant celebrations after scoring a try and similar accusations may follow after their fans took the mickey out of Canberra on the weekend.