Canterbury Bulldogs identify staff member who leaked Viliame Kikau signing photo
Dean Ritchie - News Corp Australia Sports NewsroomNovember 22, 2021 - 5:18PM
This could be the Kikau kick out.
The Canterbury Leagues Club employee who controversially released a photo of Penrith’s Viliame Kikau wearing a Bulldogs polo has been identified and faces the sack.
The development comes as Canterbury general manager of football Phil Gould used just one-word to illustrate his fury at the photo being released on social media.
Kikau was photographed at Canterbury Leagues Club on Friday wearing a blue-and-white Bulldogs polo shirt — alongside Gould and head coach Trent Barrett — after signing a four-year contract with the Belmore outfit from 2023.
The leaked photo of Bulldogs boss Phil Gould, new signing Viliame Kikau and Canterbury coach Trent Barrett. Source: Twitter
News Corp can reveal a male staff member was hauled in for disciplinary meetings with Canterbury Leagues Club management and Human Resources on Monday afternoon.
While a final decision is expected to be reached on Tuesday, it is becoming increasingly likely the employee will be terminated immediately, pending legal advice.
Canterbury Leagues Club chief executive Greg Pickering has driven the investigation into the incident, of which no club official has been permitted to comment on until the “process was complete.”
Senior Bulldogs executives want the matter finalised as quickly as possible. Bulldogs chairman John Khoury remains highly unimpressed by the incident but preferred not to comment.
The employee, whose identity remains unknown, was believed to have been watching Leagues Club CCTV vision of Kikau, Gould and Barrett posing up when he took a screen grab, which eventually went viral online.
News Corp texted Gould on Monday asking whether he was still “filthy” at the photo being released.His response was short but stern: “Understatement….”
Canterbury launched an immediate investigation into who and how the screen grab was taken and posted, just hours after News Corp revealed Kikau would be joining the Bulldogs from 2023.
The release of the photo caused enormous embarrassment to Kikau, who was jeered by some fans at Penrith’s grand final celebration at BlueBet Stadium on Saturday. Panthers management did not want to comment when contacted.
Kikau’s defection — and the subsequent photo — has added another layer of hostility between the two famous Sydney clubs.
Over the weekend, Gould took to social media to post: “I called (Penrith) to apologise for the inappropriate leaking of images, taken from security cameras, at Canterbury Leagues. “It was not our doing, nor ever our intention, for such images to become public. Out of our control. Apologies to Panther players, fans.” Some rival club officials wondered whether Canterbury had intentionally leaked the photo to upset their great western Sydney rivals. The Bulldogs vehemently denied the leak was deliberate.
Kikau — who signed a deal worth $3.2 million — also remains angry.
He posted on Instagram over the weekend: “Photos were taken of me wearing another club‘s colours. Me and my manager were told the photos wouldn’t become public until the appropriate time. I am very disappointed that didn’t happen and regret the upset it has caused. “I want the Panthers fans to know I remain fully committed to our club and the team for the upcoming season. I can’t wait to celebrate our premiership with you.”
Canterbury’s recruit drive for the next two years has netted Kikau, Matt Burton, Brent Naden, Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Dufty, Paul Vaughan, Tevita Pangai Jr, Josh Cook, Max King and Braidon Burns.