'Start fast and get big metres': Kikau ready to fire against Storm

Viliame Kikau predicts the Bulldogs lethal left edge is finally close to firing on all cylinders as they welcome back star winger Josh Addo-Carr for Friday night’s trip to Melbourne.

Kikau was at his rampaging best in the first half of last weekend’s 30-26 defeat of Sydney Roosters but the Fijian strike forward didn’t receive as many opportunities after the loss of fullback Blake Taaffe forced a backline reshuffle.

Captain Stephen Crichton shifted from left centre to fullback, where the Samoa-born star will start against the Storm, and the previous weekend against South Sydney he was forced to move mid-match to right centre.

“I think we're progressing every week. That's the plan for us,” Kikau said. “We're keen to learn every week and we are putting in the reps during training with our left edge.

“It’s not really ideal with the injuries that have come [in games] and players switching positions, but we are getting better each week.”

Led by Kikau, who made two line breaks, six tackle breaks, produced a try assist and ran 167 metres from seven carries of the ball, the Bulldogs raced to a 26-0 halftime lead and he said they would again be looking to start fast against Melbourne.

“That's exactly what we want to do in that first half, start fast and just getting those big metres,” Kikau said. “We are not the biggest pack in the competition, but we back our fitness.”

The Bati World Cup captain suffered a cork to his knee but expects to be fit to face his close friend Tui Kamikamica, who skippered Fiji in Kikau's absence in the 2023 Pacific Championships.

Kikau is also mentoring another Fijian forward after Kitione Kautoga made his NRL debut last weekend.

“I'm a proud Fijian so I'm always happy to see my boys make it to the big league and seeing his parents come in and give him his jersey, I was really emotional,” Kikau said

“Hopefully it is the start of a big journey for him and there are big things to come for Kiti.

“It’s always good to see the Fijians doing good in this competition so I’m looking forward to playing against Tui. We watched some of the Storm game last week and he’s been playing good footy.”