The Canterbury Bulldogs are yet to confirm either signature has happened officially, but Phil Gould has used his Twitter account to confirm the signatures of Reed Mahoney and Viliame Kikau for 2023.
The worst-kept secret in the NRL, Mahoney was first seen at dinner with Bulldogs officials, before a CCTV photo from inside the Canterbury Bulldogs club was leaked showing Kikau wearing a club polo shirt and posing for a photo alongside Gould and club coach Trent Barrett.
The club have refused to confirm either signature, but that hasn't stopped Phil Gould from doing so in an address to members where he also confirmed that both players have signed four-year deals with the club.
That means Mahoney and Kikau will both remain at Belmore from their arrival ahead of the 2023 season until at least the end of the 2026 season, which will see the players aged 28 and 31 respectively when the deals reach their conclusion.
2) 2023 Signings.
The Bulldogs are greatly looking forward to Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney joining them in 2023.
Both players have signed four-year deals with the club and will be major additions to a squad that is shaping up well in regards to both quality and depth.— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) December 7, 2021
Both players are believed to have signed big-money deals which will serve to stretch the Bulldogs' salary cap further after making more than ten signings for the 2022 season.
Kikau's exit from the Panthers came about with the club struggling for their own salary cap, the club also losing Apisai Koroisau to the Wests Tigers for 2023.
Mahoney is just one of a number of Eels players to have already exited the club in what is proving to be a disastrous off-season for the blue and gold, with Ray Stone yesterday joining the Dolphins to follow Marata Niukore (New Zealand Warriors) and Isaiah Papali'i (Wests Tigers) out the door for 2023.
