Kato Ottio goes from PNG volleyball team to Canberra Raiders NRL side

MEET Kato Ottio, the 194cm, 103kg Papua New Guinea volleyball player set to become an NRL cult hero with the Canberra Raiders in 2017.

Kato Ottio is looking to make a name for himself in 2017 with Canberra. Picture: Brett Costello

MEET the 194cm, 103kg Papua New Guinea volleyball player set to become an NRL cult hero.

Kato Ottio, 23, is ready to challenge for a spot in Canberra’s NRL side next season after scoring an incredible 29 tries in only 23 games for feeder team Mounties in last season’s NSW Cup.

His feats come after just three years as a senior rugby league player.

Ottio was born in Tatana Island, 15 minutes north-east of Port Moresby, where he fell in love with volleyball and rose to the ranks of the national volleyball side.

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“That’s the advantage, being tall. It was fun. Growing up, volleyball is one of the sports that we played back home in the village. I made the national team in 2013,” said Ottio, who attended Wednesday’s Auckland Nines launch in Sydney.

Canberra Raiders Kato Ottio during the Auckland Nines launch for 2017. Picture: Brett Costello

“I used to be a defender and sometimes, when I was free, I used to spike as well. Most of my work was block, defend. In volleyball, you defend and attack and it’s the same in rugby league.”

Ottio couldn’t quite escape the urge to return to rugby league, a sport he played at school.

By the start of 2014, Ottio won a spot in the PNG Hunters side, which competes in the Queensland Cup, before winning a fulltime contract under coach Ricky Stuart at Canberra. And Ottio is ready to become a crowd favourite with the Raiders.

“In 2014, I started playing rugby league and, in 2015, I made the Hunters squad, that was fulltime in the Queensland Cup. Then the Raiders saw me and brought me over at the end of 2015 and I signed a training contract. In early February this year they gave me a fulltime two-year contract,” he said.

Ottio still has family in Tatana, located in a picturesque part of PNG.

“It’s a small village, it’s an island actually. Back when the World War was on, the Americans built a road from the mainland to the island. Now, cars and vehicles go through but, back in the day, you had to use boats to get there,” he said.

Semi Radradra struggles to keep his jersey as he’s swamped by fans in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. pic Mark Evans

“The people of PNG love their rugby league. It’s mad and crazy. Every little kid and every player is passionate about rugby league. It’s something we grew up with. It’s out national sport. When I first moved down I was homesick, I missed home a lot. But, as time goes by, I got used to it and I’m good now, I feel good.”

Ottio will however start 2017 on the back foot after injuring his knee in a final for Mounties last season. He isn’t due back next season until about round six.

“I am still in the rehab group at pre-season training but it’s going well. All the boys are back in full swing at training. It’s been tough, long days, but it’s good,” he said.