Canberra Raiders Turn to NFL Inspiration to Sound Viking Horn at Las Vegas Season Opener

The Canberra Raiders have secured a participant to sound their unique Viking horn in Las Vegas, just one day ahead of their match with the Warriors at Allegiant Stadium.

Coach Ricky Stuart’s squad was searching for someone to fulfil this pre-game ritual, especially after UFC president Dana White declined their invitation earlier this week.

Ultimately, the Raiders have called upon their NFL counterparts, with defensive tackle Tyler Manoa stepping up to perform the honour.

“We’re thrilled today; we put in a lot of effort trying to get a Las Vegas Raiders player as our ambassador,” stated Raiders CEO Don Furner.

“Naturally, our name is derived from the Raiders, the American NFL franchise, and we’re fortunate to have Tyler Manoa join us, especially given his Polynesian heritage, which adds to our connection.”

“We’ve always had a strong connection with Polynesian players in our club history, so we’re thrilled to welcome him tomorrow to kick off the Viking clap, ideally alongside 60,000 supporters.

“There is a significant Polynesian presence in gridiron now; players like Jordan Mailata and Papa [Josh Papali’i] could have excelled in the NFL had they grown up here.”

The team commissioned a new, American-made horn for their season opener, costing over $10,000 to create.

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Standing at 3.6 metres long and weighing 36kg, the team decided it would be simpler to have one manufactured in Los Angeles rather than transporting the original from the ACT.

The Raiders players held their first walk-through of the stadium on Saturday morning, where goalkickers had half an hour to practice.

“It’s definitely a different experience compared to Aussie rugby fields; it’s obviously shorter, and the 10-metre line is a bit misleading. We’re gearing up for a very physical match tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to it,” commented Raiders star Josh Papali’i.