Canberra Raiders fans perfected it, Michael Ennis mocked it and now a group of Penrith Panthers supporters are planning a Viking Clap "hijack" on Saturday night.
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Just days after Raiders coach Ricky Stuart lashed Cronulla star Ennis for mocking the Viking Clap after they beat Canberra last weekend, Panthers fans are plotting a way to disrupt what is fast-becoming the best pre-game ritual in the NRL.
Raiders officials are expecting another sell-out crowd for the elimination final against Penrith at Canberra Stadium on the weekend.
There will be bus loads of Panthers fans scattered among the 26,000-strong lime-green army.
But the small pocket of travelling Penrith tragics have taken to social media in a bid to rally support for a Viking Clap takeover.
The initial plan is for Penrith fans to chant, "Panthers" in between each clap.
Cronulla Sharks fans tried to adopt a similar ploy last weekend by getting their trumpeter to play during the clap. It didn't work.
Viking clap hijack. "Panthers" in between each clap. Panthers CLAP Panthers CLAP Panthers CLAP as it gets quicker. @PenrithPanthers— Michael Todd (@MichaeljlTodd) September 13, 2016
The Raiders have adopted the Viking Clap from Iceland soccer fans, who used it during the Euro 2016 tournament.
Ennis raised the ire of Raiders fans and Stuart when he mocked the clap after a tense two-point win against the Green Machine last weekend.
"To have to sit there and watch him rub our fans' noses in it after the game was disrespectful and typical Michael Ennis ... it was offensive," Stuart said.
Ennis conceded he knew his actions would fire-up Canberra fans, but denied being disrespectful.
"I'm disappointed Ricky has seen it in that way but it wasn't intended ... to be disrespectful, as in rude, to them," Ennis said on NRL 360.
The Raiders-Panthers battle will be a re-match of the 1990 and 1991 grand finals. It also comes six years after Raiders fans busted down a fence at Penrith Stadium after the Green Machine beat the Panthers in a finals match.
