NRL 2023: Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett is set to unleash prodigy Isaiya Katoa in trials

Isaiya Katoa was rated one of Panthers’ most exciting prospects to ever come through their system. So why did the young gun swap the premiers for Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins?

NRL prodigy Isaiya Katoa is set to feature for the Dolphins in their trial matches ahead of the 2023 season. Picture: Getty Images.

Wayne Bennett is set to unveil one of the NRL’s hottest prospects on the back of the Dolphins missing out on rising Broncos star Karl Oloapu.

Bennett is weighing up playing Penrith prodigy Isaiya Katoa in next week’s trial match against the CQ Capras in Gladstone.

While the game at Marley Brown Oval next Saturday will feature mostly junior players and fringe first graders up against the Hostplus Cup’s Capras, it will be the first time the expansion club takes the field since being awarded the NRL’s 17th licence.

The Dolphins will play official NRL trial matches against the Cowboys in Cairns (February 12) and Titans at Redcliffe (February 19) before the 2023 premiership kicks off in March.

Bennett will settle on a squad for the Capras trial on Monday, but is leaning towards giving Katoa some game time as he runs his eye over the next generation of Dolphins talent.

NRL prodigy Isaiya Katoa is set to feature for the Dolphins in their trial matches ahead of the 2023 season. Picture: Getty Images.

Katoa, 18, came through Penrith’s renowned junior system and made last year’s Australian Schoolboys team.

The Panthers were devastated to lose Katoa to the Dolphins, rating him one of the best talents to ever come through their development program.

He is potentially a long-term NRL playmaker and the Dolphins were hoping to have him play alongside former Redcliffe junior Oloapu.

However Oloapu signed a four-year contract with the Bulldogs on Friday after being released by the Broncos, who blocked a potential move to cross-city rivals the Dolphins.

Despite not yet making his NRL debut, Katoa was selected in Tonga’s World Cup squad last year and started three Test matches at five-eighth under coach Kristian Woolf – Bennett’s senior assistant at the Dolphins.

The Panthers had high hopes for Katoa, but he realised he was stuck behind NSW Origin halves Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai, who have played in Penrith’s back-to-back NRL premiership teams.

Katoa said the attraction of playing under seven-time premiership-winning coach Bennett was hard to reject.

Katoa is yet to make his NRL debut but has already played Test football for Tonga. Picture: Getty Images.

“The reason I came to the Dolphins was I knew there was an amazing opportunity to get a fresh start somewhere else,” he said.

“Being at Penrith, with the success they’ve had the past two years, their halves pairing is pretty locked in for the next five years. I knew myself that it was probably going to take me a while to get to the top.

“Having a coach like Wayne here at this new club was very inspiring.

“As a young kid you grow up wanting to play under the best coach and learn from the best … there’s no other man like Wayne in terms of coaching.

“He was a massive reason I came over to Redcliffe. I’m pretty excited.”

Bennett is planning to start Penrith recruit Sean O’Sullivan and former Broncos five-eighth Anthony Milford in the halves when the Dolphins kick off their NRL existence against the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium on March 5.

Katoa came through Penrith’s system, but shifted to the Dolphins to play under Supercoach Wayne Bennett. Picture: Richard Dobson.

However Katoa will be snapping at their heels and will likely get his first chance to impress the Dolphins’ coaches in Gladstone, with Nathan Fien to hold the clipboard for the trial game as Bennett watches on.

Katoa said he had been impressed by the Dolphins since making the move north.

“You’ve got the likes of Sean, Kodi (Nikorima) and Anthony Milford coming back from the World Cup and the amazing campaign he had with Samoa,” he said.

“You’ve got a couple of young kids like myself and Kurt (Donohoe) from Newcastle.

“It’s going to be a very good competition between us in the halves and will only better ourselves for the future.

“It puts the club in great hands for the future when you’ve got a couple of experienced halves as well as some up-and-coming halves too.

“There’s a pretty good feeling around, all the boys get along.

“In terms of recruitment, they’ve not only recruited good footy players but also good people as well which builds culture around the club. I’m very happy with that.”