By Nick Wright
Sometimes a player needs to be dealt a brutal reality check to awaken their true potential.
According to Dolphins veteran Felise Kaufusi, halfback Isaiya Katoa could soon reap the benefits of being on the receiving end of a Nathan Cleary masterclass.
Isaiya Katoa has emerged as one of the NRL’s best young halfbacks, but like his teammates, is still learning to close out tight encounters.Credit: Getty
Three weeks after the Panthers’ triple-premiership winner ripped the heart out of the Dolphins with a magic two-point field goal, the NRL’s newest outfit have squandered golden chances to cement a maiden finals berth.
A 14-0 lead against the Titans ended in a seven-point defeat, while they fought valiantly against the high-flying Roosters only to fall short 40-34.
Amid a growing injury toll that has claimed Tom Gilbert, Tom Flegler, Jeremy Marshall-King and Euan Aitken, coach Wayne Bennett’s men have been the victims of some tight clashes – losses to the Storm, Raiders, Warriors and Knights all coming within six points.
Katoa to his credit starred in the Penrith match, scoring a try and coming up with a try assist and linebreak assist, while forcing a dropout among his 654 kicking metres and running the ball for 105 metres.
But on his first game back from a hamstring injury, Cleary nailed the golden-point field goal while guiding his side out of a 14-point deficit.
By contrast, Bennett was left to lament Katoa’s decision not to go for a field goal in close range in the dying minutes.
“We should’ve kicked a field goal two minutes before that. I’m not blaming him at all, I’m just telling you that was just the moment in the game,” Bennett said afterwards.
“He’s got a lot of things on his mind, he’s probably not thinking at that stage when we’ve broken the line. We had 12 men and have gone down 60 metres, and it all happened pretty quickly out there.”
Katoa cuts a dejected figure after a golden-point defeat to the Raiders.Credit: NRL Photos
Often in the close encounters, the onus falls on the halfback to steer their side home. In triumph, they are heroes; in failure, they are scrutinised.
These are lessons that will no doubt define Katoa and his teammates.
Look no further than Cleary, who at the same stage of his career suffered narrow defeats at the hands of experienced game managers in Mitchell Pearce, Adam Reynolds, Michael Morgan and Gareth Widdop.
In that 2017 season – Cleary’s second in first-grade – Penrith missed out on the top four by one win, having been conquered by two points or fewer by the aforementioned quartet.
Even in 2019, the NSW ace played in four-straight losses within the same margin.
Now he stands as the best finisher in the game – exemplified by his grand final heroics last year – and has proved that, while a player can significantly improve in this area, they need to fight through their losses and receive support.
Against the Dolphins, Penrith highlighted how crucial discipline becomes, with the Queensland club conceding the final six penalties.
Katoa has shown merit as the Dolphins’ chief conductor, topping the competition for line engagements, kick metres and linebreak involvements.
But with his side sitting outside the top eight, and faced with the Storm and Bulldogs on their run to the finals, he will need to demonstrate that harsh lessons have translated to a game-winning X-factor.
The 20-year-old will get his chance to prove that in Sunday’s battle with the New Zealand Warriors, who will be eager to begin Shaun Johnson’s retirement swansong in style.
Kaufusi has implored Katoa to take heed of the past losses.
“It takes a bit to, not mature, but to find yourself in those situations and try to close out the game, and there’s no better guy to follow than Nathan Cleary,” Kaufusi said.
“He’s a freak, and you’ve seen what he did in last year’s grand final, and then again when we played them – he’s just so bloody good.
“For a young half, there’s no one better to watch how he plays the game. We’ve got to learn from it, we haven’t been in those positions too much.
“It was the same thing in that Roosters game – it came down to the wire again – and do you take the two points or do you go for the try?
“Those are some of the things that you learn on the run as well.”
Dolphins v New Zealand Warriors, Sunday, August 11, 2pm at Suncorp Stadium
1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow; 2. Jamayne Isaako; 3. Jake Averillo; 4. Herbie Farnworth; 5. Jack Bostock; 6. Kodi Nikorima; 7. Isaiya Katoa; 8. Jesse Bromwich (c); 9. Max Plath; 10. Tevita Pangai Junior; 11. Felise Kaufusi; 12. Connelly Lemuelu; 13. Kenny Bromwich; 14. Oryn Keeley; 15. Mark Nicholls; 16. Ray Stone; 17. Sean O’Sullivan