NRL 2025: Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa vows to take his game to another level after Tonga heroics

Isaiya Katoa showed his class with dominant Test performances for Tonga and now the Dolphins halfback has vowed to take his game to another level in the NRL.

Dolphins sensation Isaiya Katoa is ready to take his game to a new level after starring against the world’s best team.

Katoa has hit the ground running at Redcliffe after the Christmas break ahead of his third NRL season for the Dolphins.

Now established as the Dolphins’ halfback, Katoa is relishing being coached by Tonga mentor Kristian Woolf at NRL level after spending the past two years under the legendary Wayne Bennett.

While he has had some challenging moments in the infancy of his NRL career, Katoa stepped up on the big stage last year.

Wearing the No. 7 for the Mate Ma’a, he sunk the Kiwis in New Zealand and played a key role in Tonga’s near upset win against Australia in the Pacific Championships final.

After staring for Tonga in the Pacific Championship, Isaiya Katoa is ready to take his game to the next level. Picture: Getty Images

Katoa’s performances in the Test arena proved the 20-year-old is one of the NRL’s rising superstars but he is far from the finished product.

With only 44 NRL games next to his name, Katoa has vowed to own the big moments as the Dolphins chase a maiden finals appearance this year.

“When we played Penrith I had an opportunity I missed,” Katoa said of a field goal opportunity to sink the eventual four-time premiers.

“Wayne was really calm in the way he approached me and asked what happened. He made sure to tell me that if I see something, back myself and go for it.

“It’s definitely something I want to work on this year, as well as getting fitter. As halfback you need to be one of the fittest in the team and that’s one of my downfalls at the moment.

“I need to ice those moments and make better decisions. That’s another focus for me over the pre-season.”

Katoa admits he needs to improve his fitness and decision making under pressure. Picture: Getty Images

Katoa’s representative campaign got off to a shaky start with some poor execution against Australia but he rebounded against the Kiwis and then in the final.

The Dolphins need him to fire consistently if they are to have any chance of finishing in the NRL’s top eight for the first time after narrowly missing the finals in 2024.

“I learnt how to bounce back from errors,” Katoa said.

“I made a few in that first Australian game at Suncorp. I spoke to ‘Woolfy’ after it and he reminded me that if I don’t take those opportunities I see then we’re not even in a position to win the game.

“He has always encouraged me to keep backing myself. He would rather I back myself and make an error and learn than hold back.

“I had a pretty full-on year with a full season with the Dolphins and then straight into Tongan camp.

“I actually enjoyed it. I like being in and around footy and having a routine rather than kicking the feet up.

“It’s good to relax a little bit but I’d rather have something to do all year and not get bored.”

Katoa already has experience being coached by Kristian Woolf in Tonga camp.

Despite having a new coach on board, the Dolphins are quietly confident of being in the mix when the finals roll around in September.

They’ve landed a couple of gun forwards in Daniel Saifiti (Knights) and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (Cowboys) while Maroons star Tom Gilbert (knee) is training strongly ahead of his return.

Katoa said the Dolphins weren’t fazed by predictions they would struggle in 2025.

“We don’t really see it that way or look at what everyone else thinks,” he said.

“We see what we think we can be. We know we can definitely be a top eight team and we only missed it last year by one win.

“We had a couple of games we should have won that we didn’t. That’s a focus for us, learning how to ice those games we believe we should have won.

“It’s exciting times for us. It’s a lot younger squad, very fresh and we’re all eager to learn and get better.

“That’s a good starting point for us.”

Originally published as NRL 2025: Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa vows to take his game to another level after Tonga heroics