NRL news: Dolphins rookie Isaiya Katoa opens up on NRL axing
After being surprisingly overlooked for round one, Dolphins youngster Isaiya Katoa has promised to make good on his round-two call-up when they face St George Illawarra.
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Whizkid Isaiya Katoa says he is ready to be the Dolphins’ main man at halfback, revealing how a sports psychologist has helped him cope with the pressure of being hailed an NRL playmaking superstar.
Dolphins supercoach Wayne Bennett is showing enormous faith in Katoa, handing him the coveted No.7 jumper for Sunday’s round 2 clash against the Dragons at Kayo Stadium.
Katoa will go head-to-head with St George Illawarra’s Queensland Origin star Ben Hunt - just a week after the 20-year-old was a shock omission for the Dolphins’ season-opener against the Cowboys.
But the Dolphins’ dismal 43-18 drubbing at Suncorp Stadium prompted a ruthless Bennett to wield the axe, dumping first-choice half Sean O’Sullivan and promoting Katoa from the Hostplus Cup.
Speaking for the first time since his relegation to feeder-club Norths Devils, Katoa declared he is determined to get the Dolphins back on track after their Cowboys capitulation.
“It’s a good test for me,” he said.
“I definitely think this year, without putting too much pressure on myself, this is the year I need to step up and go up another level.
“I have the freedom to take control of the boys, to lead them around the park and I believe I can do that.”
SEVENTH HEAVEN
O’Sullivan was the Dolphins’ inaugural halfback in their foundation season last year but his axing, after just one week of the 2024 campaign, has blown the battle for the No.7 jumper wide open.
Katoa’s recall could signal a seismic halfback changing of the guard at the Dolphins.
The comeback kid is ready to fire as the club’s chief shot caller. Once rated the finest player in Penrith’s junior system - he steered the Panthers to the Jersey Flegg premiership wearing No.7 in 2022 - Katoa believes halfback is his true forte.
“I have the opportunity to go out there and perform this week at halfback,” he said.
“Going forward for my future, I think halfback is my position, but at the same time I have no problem playing six (five-eighth) or even covering nine (hooker) if I had to.
“I see each opportunity in a position as a little challenge that will make me better and benefit me as a player.
“But I do like halfback and feel comfortable there.
“Personally, I want to solidify my spot. I know that comes from performances and training hard and working hard. It’s the performances on the field that count to nailing down that halfback spot. I want to take ownership of that role.
“That’s on me, that’s my focus, starting against the Dragons this week.”
BENNETT’S BLOW
Twelve months ago, Katoa was a stunning round 1 bolter, blooded by Bennett ahead of former Broncos $1 million man Anthony Milford at five-eighth for the club’s historic season-opener against the Roosters.
Fast forward to last week and Katoa suddenly felt Milford’s pain. The young gun was a shock omission as Bennett opted for a Kodi Nikorima-O’Sullivan scrumbase alliance for the 2024 Cowboys opener.
Rather than sulk, Katoa stepped up, steering the Devils to a 25-12 defeat of Broncos feeder club Burleigh. Impressed by Katoa’s handling of his relegation, Bennett delivered a swift reprieve.
“I was definitely disappointed to miss out,” Katoa said of his NRL omission.
“That is the nature of footy and the nature of wanting to compete and fight for positions.
“At the same time, when Wayne named the squad and spoke to me about missing out, I had no hard feelings towards Sean and Kodi. At the same time, I wanted to compete, train hard and put myself back in the picture to be selected again.
“Wayne spoke to me about finding my confidence in running the footy. That is something I am still working on. I felt I did that in the Norths game.
“I just embraced it as a new challenge to go back and find a bit of form, find some confidence in my running game and my defence.
“It was nice to get the call up from Wayne so quickly.
THE PRESSURE
Katoa showed incredible resilience last season. Just turned 19, he was only expected to play a handful of games but ended up playing 22 of the Dolphins’ 24 matches after injuries to Milford and O’Sullivan.
The New Zealand-born phenom entered the conversation for 2023 Dally M rookie-of-the-year honours but amid the meteoric rise, Katoa had his struggles.
He sought the aid of Dolphins sports psychologist Phil Jauncey, who has worked with some of Australia’s elite sportspeople, including Test cricket legend Matthew Hayden.
“To be honest, I kind of struggled with it all halfway through last year,” Katoa says.
“With the support of Wayne and we have a sports psychologist named Phil Jauncey, I ended up being able to deal with things and block out the outside noise.
“Phil was massive for me.
“He spoke to me about not having a passive mindset going into the game where you are sitting around waiting for stuff to happen and waiting for teammates to come up with the big play.
“He helped me flip my mindset, to be more aggressive and go out and attack the game, to get myself involved. Phil was also good at helping me overcome the little mistakes you might make in a game.
“It’s great to have someone like Phil Jauncey helping me. I would be silly if I didn’t listen to him and take his honest insights on board.”
RUGBY THREAT
Katoa could have easily been lost to rugby union.
As a 17-year-old, he starred in the 15-a-side code at Barker College in Sydney and, as a kid, dreamed of being an All Black.
The NSW Waratahs and ACT Brumbies were in the mix, but Dolphins recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan sneaked under rugby’s guard to poach the Australian Schoolboys sensation.
Such was his talent, O’Sullivan was so keen to secure Katoa he signed him to a three-year deal over Zoom.
“I thoroughly enjoyed that College and playing rugby there,” he said.
“I was in the Academy teams coming through the grades with the Waratahs and there was some interest from the ACT Brumbies.
“That’s when the Dolphins came along. I had another year of school left. Once rugby found out I was signed (to the Dolphins), they couldn’t really get me.
“But league was always my preference. I love both games and still watch both games, but league was the path I wanted to head down. I was keen to test myself in the NRL.”
THE FUTURE
Katoa is off-contract at the end of 2025. With Jarome Luai having signed with the Tigers for next year, there is a view the Panthers could attempt to lure Katoa back to Penrith to join forces with Nathan Cleary.
But the Tongan Test ace has no interest in quitting the Dolphins and is keen to sign an extended deal with the club in the post-Bennett era.
“I definitely don’t want to leave,” he said.
“I love it here and so does my partner, so it’s like, ‘Happy wife, happy life’.
“The Dolphins are an awesome club. The coaching staff and the boys are a great group and it’s been great to take a chance with a new club and build something special from scratch. I want to be here as long as I can. I want to stay on if that’s the case.
“I wasn’t overly happy with last year but it’s the way I am. There is nothing really satisfying unless I achieve what I know I can achieve. I know my boundaries and limits and I won’t be happy until I achieve those goals.
“I can get a lot better.”
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