NRL 2023: Why Dolphins star Isaiya Katoa is the Dally M rookie of the year

With just three regular season games to state their case, the Dally M rookie race is set to go down to the wire. Travis Meyn looks at this year’s candidates. Vote here.

Dolphins young gun Isaiya Katoa says brutal honesty from Wayne Bennett has played a pivotal role in his NRL rise ahead of a Dally M rookie of the year showdown with Tigers sensation Jahream Bula.

Katoa and Bula will go head-to-head at Commbank Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a high-stakes clash between the NRL cellar dwellers.

The Tigers will be looking to snap a 10-game losing streak against the undermanned Dolphins, who have lost eight of their past nine matches to plummet into the bottom four.

A win for Wests will give them some hope of avoiding back-to-back wooden spoons while the Dolphins are looking to end their foundation NRL season with some momentum.

But there could be individual bragging rights on the line as the race to be crowned the NRL’s top rookie of 2023 heats up heading into the final three rounds of the regular season.

Katoa and Bula are two of the leading candidates for the individual honour along with the likes of Alofiana Khan-Pereira (Titans), Sunia Turuva (Panthers) and Jacob Preston (Bulldogs). Wingers Junior Tupou (Tigers) and Will Warbrick (Storm) have also had strong seasons.

Katoa, 19, burst on to the NRL scene with the Dolphins after beating Anthony Milford to the No. 6 jersey and will make his 20th appearance of the season against the Tigers.

The Penrith prodigy said it had been a dream year and credited super coach Bennett for cultivating his development.

Who is your pick for rookie of the year?

“That’s the way to put it (dream), it’s been a pretty surreal year,” Katoa said.

“I’ve played more games than I expected coming into pre-season but it’s been awesome, it’s been a learning experience for me.

“(Bennett has told me) to keep backing myself on the field and also reminding me of areas I can improve on every week.

“He’s one of the first to congratulate me when I’m doing something well but also the first to get up me if I’m not doing something so well.

“That’s what I’ve loved about having him as a coach, he’s always kept it really honest.

“He’s been that father figure in terms of keeping me in check and making sure I’m continually working hard on my game to improve.”

The NRL rookie race is hotly-contested this year with a number of contenders and no genuine standout following Cowboys sensation Jeremiah Nanai’s 2022 triumph.

Katoa’s early-season form has wavered as the Dolphins crashed and the rigours of an NRL campaign took their toll on the highly-rated schoolboys graduate. But overall he has produced an excellent rookie season and deserves to be in the mix.

Wests Tigers youngster Jahream Bula. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

Bula, 21, has come from nowhere at the Tigers, playing 15 games since his round 8 debut and making a number of freakish play to announce himself as a star of the future.

Turuva, 20, has hit the ground running at the Panthers, scoring seven tries in 21 games, busting 88 tackles and averaging 148m in a team hunting three straight premierships.

Preston, 21, has been a rare shining light for the battling Bulldogs in 20 games while Warbrick (12 tries) and Tupou (six tries) have been solid performers all year.

Khan-Pereira, 21, has already broken the Titans’ season try-scoring record, netting 18 four-pointers in 20 games and declared he wanted the rookie honours.

“To be honest, that’s what I’m trying to get,” he said.

“That would be a dream to get rookie of the year. That’s what I’m playing for.

“I’m having an awesome time playing NRL. I’m still trying to learn a couple of things on what I need to do on the field.

“It’s been great. I’m having a blast.”