Canterbury Bulldogs star Viliame Kikau believes it’s only a matter of time before a Kaiviti Silktails player makes their NRL debut for the club.
Kikau praised the growing partnership between the Bulldogs and the Silktails, following our Jersey Flegg side’s historic start to the 2024 season, with back-to-back wins to open the year. It marked a significant moment for the Silktails, who joined the under-21s competition just last season.
Kikau, a proud Fijian international, has long been a champion for rugby league in Fiji. In 2023, he launched the Kikau Academy to help young players from the islands take their shot at the NRL. Now, with the Bulldogs backing the Silktails as part of the club’s pathways system, those opportunities are closer than ever.
“I was born and bred back home,” Kikau said. “As a little kid all I wanted to do was [play rugby league]. I’m blessed to be in the position I am today and all I wanted to do is give back, give the same opportunity that I had to another young Fijian.
“We have a lot of young talent back home. It’s good to see the growth and working with the Silktails is cool. Hopefully it’s just going to get bigger and better.”
Kikau grew up on the island of Bau and was first scouted while playing for the Fijian Schoolboys rugby union team on tour in Australia. That led to a move to North Queensland before his NRL debut with the Panthers in 2017.
After six strong seasons with Penrith, Kikau signed with the Bulldogs in 2023 and quickly set about giving back to the game that gave him everything. With the support of Bulldogs General Manager Phil Gould, Kikau launched the Kikau Academy and helped form the club’s official partnership with the Silktails last October.
“[The support] has been massive,” Kikau said. “I’ve been getting messages from Gus after the games, ‘how good was that’. It’s really exciting to see the boys develop and learn new skills. It’s good to see them get a couple of wins.”
Kikau was sidelined for Sunday’s Multicultural Round clash against the Knights as he continues his recovery from a knee injury. But there was plenty to celebrate, with the Bulldogs the only undefeated side left in the NRL and over 30,000 fans expected to fill Accor Stadium for the cultural showcase.
That success has been driven by a long-term focus on development—one that’s beginning to show results. The Bulldogs took out the Jersey Flegg premiership last season and made the SG Ball grand final, all while strengthening their junior pathways across NSW and the Pacific.
Head Coach Cameron Ciraldo says the inclusion of the Silktails in the club’s junior system is already making an impact.
“The guys have put a lot of investment into the pathways system at the Bulldogs and the Silktails have been another addition this year,” Ciraldo said. “To see them have their first two wins over the last couple of weeks and the improvement in their game [is great].
“We’ve been sent videos from over in Fiji and it’s a really important piece for us moving forward. Kikau shines a light for all the Fijian kids that want to become Bulldogs and we’ve got some guys in our junior grades that are doing a great job at the moment.
“It’s definitely a pathway for those guys to come into our system and we’re really proud of the way they’re playing.”
Originally reported by NRL.com’s Cameron Lee | Adapted for Jersey Flegg digital
