viliame kikau state of origin

At the time Kikau was also being scouted by a number of French rugby union clubs[7]. A centre in his rugby union days, Kikau switched to prop after joining the Cowboys.

“I’ll now focus on doing everything I can at training to help the team prepare for the Preliminary Final.”. [25], Kikau played 19 games for Penrith in the 2020 NRL season as the club won the Minor Premiership. State of Origin: Matty Johns, NSW Blues, Ryan Papenhuyzen, C... AFL trades: Josh Dunkley, trade request, Essendon, Western B... Jack de Belin accuser: ‘I still don’t get to sleep’. “It is as much through the experience and skill of Waerea-Hargreaves to put himself in a position to protect himself, rather than anything Kikau does.”. Don't have an account? “As he does so he put his left arm on the ground and dives forward, and creates the impression of a lift rather than an actual lift. “Kurt Capewell, will all respect to him, he’s a very good footballer, but he’s not Viliame Kikau, particularly with the ball in his hands.”. Sign up, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. Viliame Kikau looked flustered in his first game since the opening week of the finals, and James Fisher-Harris gave away a silly penalty which gifted Melbourne two points. Stay up to date with the latest sports news. The NRL grand final teams have been revealed. “I think this is the third charge Vili has had in the last two seasons featuring the word ‘dangerous’ and all three times, no-ones gotten hurt.

[24], In round 23 of the 2019 NRL season, Kikau played his 50th NRL game for Penrith in their 24–10 defeat by the North Queensland Cowboys at 1300Smiles stadium. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out.

Kikau could have avoided a ban with an early guilty plea, had it not been for two previous charges this year. On 7 October, he was named in the 24-man squad for Fiji for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. All times AEDT (GMT +11). “We can’t be rubbing people out for that.”.

In 2015, Kikau played in a pre-season trial game with the Cowboys' first grade team. [22], After his impressive World Cup campaign, Kikau would cement a permanent place in Penrith's top 17.

He leads all second-rowers for tries, linebreaks, linebreak assists and tackle busts this year, but will now miss their clash with the winner of South Sydney and Parramatta.

Kikau made a total of 18 appearances for Penrith in the 2019 NRL season as the club finished 10th on the table and missed out on the finals for the first time since 2015. Instead, they believed the NRL’s claims that it had largely been Waerea-Hargreaves’ actions that stopped the tackle from being far worse. Parramatta great Peter Sterling was also “disappointed” players could be rubbed out of finals for incidents like Kikau’s. [13], Kikau spent 2016 playing in the Panthers NSW Cup team. “He’s a devastating ballrunner, we all know that. The verdict comes as a blow to Penrith’s hopes of playing in their first grand final in 17 years, given Kikau is the most damaging second-rower in the competition. Queensland's fresh-faced State of Origin squad sat like school prefects as principal Wayne Bennett delivered his opening address on Monday. Born 5 April 1995 (age 25) Nausori, Fiji: Height: 195 cm (6 ft 5 in) Weight: 119 kg (18 st 10 lb) Playing information. [8] On 2 May 2015, Kikau made his international debut for Fiji against Papua New Guinea in the Melanesian Cup match, playing off the interchange bench in the 22–10 win at Robina Stadium.