Penrith’s Viliame Kikau breaks down as brother Jope visits from Fiji for 100th game presentation

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as Viliame Kikau’s brother Jope made a surprise visit from Fiji to present the barnstorming second-rower with his jersey ahead of his 100th NRL appearance on Saturday.

Jope is four years older than his brother and was a teenage rugby union prodigy before a spinal infection robbed him of his ability to walk and shattered his dreams of becoming a professional able-bodied athlete.

No one was affected more than Viliame, who idolised Jope and even attended the same boarding school. Viliame famously wrote his brother’s name on the strapping around his wrist in the 2020 NRL grand final and has long said that he is living his brother’s dream.

When Jope arrived with the jersey Viliame will wear in the Panthers clash against the Dragons on Friday night, Kikau broke down in tears. 

‘A big congratulations to you on reaching your 100th NRL test, we are so happy and amazed on how far you’ve come and how far you’ve achieved,’ Jope said.

‘There’s just no words, to see you reach this far with two NRL grand finals under your belt and a ring, from humble beginnings where we started I would never have dreamt of seeing you reach your 100th NRL game.

‘We also want to thank each and every one of you who have contributed so much to his journey. To [Viliame’s partner] Brittany, [his child] Apenisa and all the boys and the trainers and to everyone I just want to say a big 10625703[a formal way of expressing gratitude in Fiji] and thank you.’

Before Jope stunned his brother with the jersey presentation, the Panthers celebrated the milestone with a video message from Kikau’s family back in Fiji.

The video opened with Viliame’s sister saying: ‘Congratulations V, we are so proud of you and you should also be proud of yourself. You’re an inspiration to us all, we wish you all the best on your 100th game, let’s go Panthers’. 

It was followed by a chorus of well wishes from his nieces and nephews living in Fiji. 

The Panthers enforcer first started to break down in tears when his father Ratu Ralulu Kikau appeared on video congratulating him in Fijian that the Panthers enforcer first began to break down in tears. His mother Lily also congratulated him on the milestone in both English and Fijian.

‘Congratulations Vili on your 100th game in the NRL, we hope that this Friday will be an exciting game for you” she said.

But the emotion bubbled over when Kikau’s brother Jope – who has been his inspiration throughout his entire NRL journey – walked through the door. 

Kikau and his partner Brittany. They have welcomed their first child to the world and will always call Penrith home despite the forward joining the Bulldogs from 2023

Kikau, who will join the Bulldogs in 2023, said that Penrith would always be ‘home away from home’. 

‘I came over from Fiji as a little kid looking for an opportunity. I hadn’t played one game of NRL and then got the opportunity at this club to play one NRL game and now to play my 100th, yeah I’ve really got no words to say.

‘I’m thankful and I’m grateful. First and foremost I just want to thank the man above (God) for all the blessings in my life.

‘I wake up every morning and I pray just that I get to live another day.

“I’d like to thank my family, their support has been crazy even though they never get to watch my games I know they are always supporting me back home.

‘To my beautiful partner Britt, I know you do all the dirty work behind the scenes and make me look good. I really appreciate you and I’m so grateful to have you in my life.

‘I have so many people to thank but I just want to thank the club, this club will definitely have a special place in my heart. I love this club.

‘I had my first born child here in Penrith, I know Penrith will definitely be home away from home.’