Source :- THE AGE NEWS
If not for a bold gamble to venture into the unknown and away from rugby league’s most dominant juggernaut, Isaiya Katoa’s meteoric rise may never have eventuated.
Quietly biding his time in the Penrith Panthers’ lower ranks, but without much of an opportunity in sight owing to Nathan Cleary’s presence, the halfback faced a dilemma when he received a call from Wayne Bennett.
Would he stay at the NRL’s most successful club or make the leap to the Dolphins, where it could be years before experiencing success?
Katoa’s choice to go with the latter has earmarked him as a future State of Origin superstar, and has spearheaded the Redcliffe-based outfit into their first preliminary final on Friday night against the Sydney Roosters.
“To take a bit of a risk and a shot at a kid who’s just come out of high school … I owe this club everything. It’s been a journey,” Katoa gushed.
“Now as a club, we’re starting to reap the rewards. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t think I would have developed as much as I have as a player.”
The big move and ‘typical Wayne’ debut call
Katoa was only 18 when he made his World Cup debut for Tonga, the nation’s coach and Dolphins honcho Kristian Woolf telling the story how he saw the teenager studying for his final high school exams in an England hotel lobby.
The Wellington-born talent moved to Sydney with his family when he was nine, and went on to play First XV for esteemed rugby union school, Barker College. The move north of the border for the Dolphins’ inaugural season – with the club criticised for a perceived inability to land a marquee recruit – loomed as his greatest challenge.
“It was all around opportunity. I understood how great the club was at Penrith in terms of how they developed their juniors, and … they’ve been the most dominant team,” Katoa said.
“I was tossing up between whether I wanted to stay at the Panthers and continue to develop my game, which I knew I’d be able to do, but at the same time I had the opportunity to come here, go straight into the top 30 and be coached by Wayne Bennett.
“It’s probably one of the best opportunities I’ve been able to receive in my life. I don’t even know if I’m playing first-grade if I don’t take that chance.”
The Dolphins had recruited Anthony Milford, Kodi Nikorima and Sean O’Sullivan as its halves options. In a shocking twist, Bennett called on Katoa to lead the team in their triumphant launch against the Sydney Roosters.
“He actually never told me I was going to debut. The way I found out was when he actually named the team list – that’s typical real old-school Wayne,” Katoa laughed.
“What it did was give me so much confidence. For him to overlook some of the great players we had and throw me in straight away was a show of faith from him, and something I’ve always appreciated of Wayne.”
The youngest captain
Aged just 22, Katoa is by far the NRL’s youngest captain – a role he shares with Tom Gilbert. When he speaks, the Tongan phenom does so assertively, but with a sense of composure and comfort in the man he is.
He has needed to grow up quickly.
“I still do love having a joke, laughing with the boys and mucking around. But at the same time, I know when we’re playing footy it’s time for me to switch on and make sure I’m demanding things,” Katoa said.
“I feel like maturity comes with the position; you’ve got to be on the ball making the most decisions, and you’re driving the mindset of your team.
“I feel like I haven’t gotten everything right, but there are still things I’m constantly learning.”
Katoa arrived a reserved young man, but was given a rev up by founding leaders Felise Kaufusi, Mark Nicholls, Jesse and Kenny Bromwich.
Their words paved the way for the No.7 to announce himself as the club’s leader beyond the end of his 2028 contract.
“They called me aside one training session and just said to me ‘you’re the halfback of the team, we want you to tell us what to do. We’re not going to get angry if you yell at us, that’s your job’,” Katoa said.
“The best leaders lead through their actions, not just their words, so that’s always constantly been in the back of my mind if I’m going to lead this team.”
The premiership dream
One game separates the Dolphins from a grand final berth in their maiden finals campaign. Katoa has been the driving force behind their charge.
His Friday showdown with Maroons star Sam Walker ensures his composure which inspired a qualifying final win against the Warriors will be key again.
“What impressed me was he kept his cool; regardless of the pressure, regardless of the score, there was a very hostile crowd that did influence some things and different decisions,” Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said.
“I certainly wouldn’t swap Isaiya for anyone. I’ve been really proud of being able to watch him mature, and he’s so mature for his age anyway, but he’s grown into a father now, and it’s added another layer of maturity to him.”
The Dolphins first grand final qualifier will take place against the same side they conquered in their 2023 NRL debut.
Nine Dolphins who took the field that day will run onto Suncorp Stadium again, where a win would solidify their status as a fledgling powerhouse.
“Internally, we’ve always seen ourselves as a top four team, but it’s no good just speaking about being top four. We knew our actions had to reflect off field actions,” Katoa said.
“We understand as a group that we don’t just want to be happy about participating in a finals series, we want to give it a red-hot crack.”
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