Cleary’s bodyguard has no fears for his half

Nathan Cleary will be without his bodyguard Viliame Kikau but according to the injured backrower the Penrith star is still in safe hands.

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Nathan Cleary will be without his bodyguard Viliame Kikau but according to the injured backrower the Penrith star is still in safe hands.

Cleary was set to start the season alongside Kikau on the left edge in defence but that experiment has been put on hold while Kikau recovers from an MCL injury he picked up in a trial match against South Sydney 10 days ago.

But the rampaging Fijian is confident that both players in line to replace him, Jack Hetherington and Jed Cartwright, will be able provide Cleary with good protection.

Viliame Kikau won’t be able to protect Nathan Cleary to start the year. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

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“The coach has someone in mind to put on that jersey come round one” Kikau said. “We have a good calibre of players in that position. Hethro and Jed are fighting for that position.

“They both have more speed than me so fans will get to see that on the field.

“Jed’s a big guy too, he benches more than me in the gym. He does everything more than me.

“[Hetherington] is not that big in size but he is pretty solid. He’s a fit bloke. He’s a freak, during preseason he is always up there when we do conditioning running.”

Kikau was injured during a 2019 trial game. Picture: Brett Costello

Despite the show of faith in Cartwright and Hetherington, Kikau revealed that Cleary is eager to have his protector return to the field as soon as possible.

“Nathan told me, ‘you left me hanging. I came over to the left side and you left me hanging’. So I'm keen to get rehab over and done with and get back out there and be with the boys,” he said.

Kikau feared the worst when he first went down with a knee injury during a trial match.

The forward was worried he’d torn his right ACL, an injury which could have ended his 2019 campaign before it even started.

Cleary was expected to defend on Kikau’s edge this season. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

“I thought it was going to be worse than that because it was painful,” he said.

“I sort of just fell awkwardly and as soon I stood up, I tried my best to play the ball, I don’t know how I did that. I couldn’t even walk off the field.

“The poor trainers had to carry 120kg out. He [Craig Catterick] was asking for help, I could see him asking the other trainers for help.”

Kikau is no longer on crutches — which had to be adjusted to fit his massive frame — but he will remain in a full leg brace for at least another month.

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Despite the setback Kikau is confident he won’t miss too much game time.

“I’m one week down and I have another five to go. I’m out for six weeks total. I’m pushing for round four,” he said.

“I was in the crutches for a week, I got rid of them today [Monday]. I have to be in the brace for another four weeks.

“I’m hoping to start running in round two and then spend two weeks doing rehab running and hopefully I'll be back round four.