He received some welcome news this weekend with confirmation that he would escape suspension for his preliminary final shoulder charge, but the Penrith Panthers have fresh injury concerns over barnstorming back-rower Viliame Kikau ahead of Sundayโs Grand Final.
The Daily Telegraph has confirmed that while Kikau maintained he was โfineโ after the Panthersโ win over South Sydney, questions over his fitness for next weekendโs game were met with uncertainty after the Fijian was spotted with a brace on his left hand and questions about the condition were reportedly shut down.
A Panthers spokesperson has since confirmed that the brace was to address a pre-existing injury Kikau had carried into last weekend and that it was simply a precautionary matter.
After avoiding the possibility of a long Tuesday night in front of the judiciary, Kikauโs relief was matched only by his excitement about an all-Western Sydney grand final.
โI donโt think thereโs anything bigger than this. Itโs going to be a beauty,โ Kikau told the Telegraph.
โParra people hate Penrith, and Penrith people (feel) the same. Itโs going to be a blockbuster.
โTheyโve beaten us twice this year and we got them once, so itโll be another big one next week.
โItโs great for the fans and great for the game as well, the atmosphere is unreal.
โThereโs going to be a lot going on and the fans are going to be in the streets. We just need to go through the week with everything that needs to be done and get ready for the game.โ
Personally, Kikau canโt think of a better way to end his six years at Penrith before moving to the Bulldogs.
โEvery game this year Iโve played it like itโs my last. Obviously this is going to be the last last next week.
โIโm going to give everything, and the goal is to keep my head calm through the week and not think about it too much.โ
