Kikau

“It would have been stupid [to pose] had I known that photo was going to come out,” Kikau tells The Sun-Herald. “Nothing was planned. It was strictly confidential and meant to be private.

 “You can’t get away with anything these days. It was pretty disappointing. I was really disappointed about it actually. It was only meant to be put out once everything was made official and to let everyone know I had signed.”

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said Canterbury's big-money pursuit of Viliame Kikau made it difficult to keep the Fijian powerhouse beyond next season but he expects him to stay on in 2022.

A photo of Kikau in Bulldogs colours next to Phil Gould and Trent Barrett emerged on Friday with the Panthers back-rower posting to Instagram later in the evening citing his displeasure at the leak. 

Canterbury has launched an investigation into who posted the security camera screenshot online of Kikau posing in blue and white.

Kikau, 26, is off contract at the Panthers next year and in a sign to rival clubs looks likely to head to market.

The Fiji Bati Test star has been linked with rugby union and a move to the Cowboys in recent weeks.

And speaking on NRL Tonight, The Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie said it was unlikely the Panthers would be able to keep him.

“Viliame Kikau is a story we’ve got on our website right now,” Ritchie said.

“At the moment he’s under contract for next year and that won’t change.