From a young shy kid to one of the Vodafone Fiji Bati star players, forward Viliame Kikau is optimistic that they will play their best on Saturday night.

Kikau has likened the physicality of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Kumuls to a ton of bricks.

The 29-year-old said their Melanesian brothers were always a tough rival and it will not be a walk in the park for them.

With the backing of the home crowd, Kikau hopes that the Bati will put on a great show before their home fans.

“It’s a big game with the PNG brothers; they are a physical team – they come out hard from the first minute to the end.

“It just feels like a ton of bricks running at you the whole 80 minutes,” Kikau said.

The Bau, Tailevu man missed last year’s Pacific Bowl Championship in PNG to focus on the 2024 NRL season with the Bulldogs.

He has been one of the vocal senior players during their training sessions at Albert Park.

“I remember when I was a little shy kid, my first couple of games for Bati and it was always the same I came in quiet and you’ve always look up to the senior boys to do all the talking and the communication,” he said.

“A lot of boys have hardly even played in the NRL, just to have a voice and communicate and sort of just help them out, gives them a bit of confidence going into the weekends game.

“I reckon that really helped them.”

The Bati squad included teenagers Jordan Miller who is likely to debut on Saturday and Jethro Rinakama.

While these young men were promising players, they do not open up often.

“Fijian kids were really shy, it takes some time to get used to people and get comfortable talking,” he said.

“I’m just there to help them out, keep them in line when they need to and hopefully when they go back they’ve learned something out of this camp.

“We’re going to get ready and focus on this week’s game.”

Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj