By Jasper Bruce in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Raiders player Tyler Manoa will blow Canberra’s iconic Viking horn ahead of the clash against the Warriors at the NFL team’s home base, Allegiant Stadium.
The Raiders confirmed at their stadium walk-through on Friday (Saturday AEDT) that the defensive tackle, who has a Samoan heritage, had agreed to participate in the pre-game festivities after Dana White turned the club down.
Canberra were keen to involve a Las Vegan of Pasifika heritage given the diversity of their own squad. Matt Timoko, Joe Tapine, Seb Kris and Kaeo Weekes are all regular first graders with Maori heritage, while Josh Papalii and Simi Sasagi both have Samoan roots.
When UFC boss White had a prior engagement, the Raiders were hopeful of securing a player from the NFL team that inspired Canberra’s nickname when the club entered the NSWRL in 1982.
They had spent some $10,000 on a replica of their huge Viking horn, which is a fixture of their home games but was too delicate and large to be transported to America.
Club greats Jarrod Croker and Mal Meninga, who’d blown the horn before, were options, with both in Vegas as ambassadors this week.
It’s believed chief executive Don Furner was the mastermind behind securing Manoa, whom the Raiders approached partly because of his rugby background and Pasifika heritage.
“We’ve always had a proud history of Polynesian players at our club,” Furner said.
The Raiders are now hard at work to find a jersey big enough for Manoa, who stands 196cm tall and weighs 141kg.
Manoa, 25, has not yet made his NFL debut but played 54 games in his collegiate career between UCLA and the University of Arizona.
He joined the Raiders in late 2024 after a stint in the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad.
Canberra prop Papalii applauded the Raiders for selecting a player who reflected the club’s strong Pasifika contingent.
“It’s very special. It’s my identity as a Samoan and to see a fellow Samoan from Vegas it’s a special milestone not only for the Canberra Raiders but the Las Vegas Raiders and Samoan people in general,” he said.
“It makes me feel a lot more comfortable being in Vegas. Hopefully we catch up after a good win tomorrow.”
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