Canterbury have told the Penrith Panthers that a controversial photo of Viliame Kikau in Bulldogs gear was never meant to be released to the public and was taken at the request of Trent Barrett as a personal memento.
Former Penrith supremo Phil Gould ruffled feathers at his old club yesterday after posing for a photo alongside Bulldogs coach Barrett and prized recruit Kikau, 12 months before the backrower will be free to join the club.
Viliame Kikau (main) poses with Bulldogs boss Phil Gould and coach Trent Barrett (inset).Credit: NRL Photos, Supplied
The emergence of the photo - which is a screenshot of video footage - on social media yesterday prompted Canterbury to launch an investigation into who had access to the club’s security camera, which captured the happy snap being taken.
Kikau on Friday agreed to a four year, $3.2 million deal to join the Bulldogs from 2023 - which wasn’t a huge surprise to Panthers officials who have been resigned to losing Kikau for some time given the quality of talent on their roster.
However the leaked images of Kikau posing for a photo with Gould and Barrett while wearing a Bulldogs polo have not gone down well at the Panthers ahead of the club’s premiership parade through Penrith on Saturday.
Sources familiar with the situation told the Herald there had been an agreement struck between Penrith and the Bulldogs that the Kikau deal would not be announced until after the parade.
While Canterbury had no intention of releasing the images of Gould, Kikau and Barrett on Friday, the fact Kikau was convinced to pose in opposition colours while still having 12 months to run on his deal has infuriated Panthers officials and fans.
Phil Gould talking to a Penrith lower grade side in 2017.Credit: Getty
Gould spent almost a decade at the Panthers and club insiders said that during his time at Penrith, one of Gould’s golden rules with contract announcements was to never disrespect the team from which the player was leaving.
That is why Panthers officials were surprised to see their former general manager and ex-assistant coach posing for a photo with their player.
Gould tweeted on Friday afternoon that the Bulldogs had apologised to Penrith for the picture.
There is plenty of bad blood between the two clubs that extends beyond Gould’s controversial exit from the club after the arrival of Ivan Cleary in 2019.
Canterbury major sponsor Arthur Laundy launched a scathing attack of the Panthers earlier in the year for their decision not to release Matt Burton to the Bulldogs a year early. Burton, who transformed into one of the best centres in the NRL this year, and Brent Naden will both call Belmore home in 2022.
Benji Marshall regrets the day he posed in an Auckland Blues jersey on while still contracted to the Tigers.
The Panthers are adamant Kikau will not be released a year early regardless of the expected backlash from the release of the photo.
Though players signing for a rival club while playing for another is common, it is very rare for someone to pose up in the team kit of their future club.
One of Benji Marshall’s greatest regrets throughout his career was his decision to pose in an Auckland Blues jersey when he signed for the Super Rugby club while still contracted to the Wests Tigers.
While Kikau leaves with Penrith’s blessing for 2023, the timing of the photo couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Fijian with the club to be paraded through the streets of Penrith to celebrate their premiership triumph on an open-top bus on Saturday morning.
Regardless of the controversial image, the Bulldogs have plenty of reason to celebrating the massive coup of the premiership-winning back-rower, who has also been in discussions with the Cowboys and Dragons for the past month.
The Panthers have been resigned to the likelihood of losing him having upgraded the contracts of a number of their representative players in the past 18 months.