By Nick Wright
When Isaiya Katoa fronts the cameras and reporters, he shows no sign of nerves or anxiety.
The Dolphins halfback is articulate, measured in his insights and speaks with the confidence of a man well beyond his 20 years.
And should the NRL’s newest outfit maintain their place in the top eight by the time September rolls around, it will probably be off Katoa’s back.
Isaiya Katoa puts a kick through for the Dolphins against the Rabbitohs.Credit: NRL Photos
Those traits make the Tongan one of the most important players among the four Queensland-based NRL sides.
Given the inconsistent showings of the Broncos (13th), Titans (15th) and the Cowboys (7th) this season, the Redcliffe team is the most promising hope for rugby league fans in the state to have someone to barrack for come finals.
The lofty expectations might be an unfair burden for a player in just his second season, but he has been unflappable.
“It’s something that’s just my personality – I’m not really going to be happy with how I played, no matter if I had the best game or the worst game,” Katoa says.
“I’m always going to be looking for places to improve and things to work on. With the number seven jersey, it comes with the role of organising and controlling a team.”
The boot and bravery
Katoa might not ignite the highlight reels, but his game management and work off the boot has the Dolphins on the cusp of a maiden finals berth.
No man has more kicking metres than the Penrith junior (7382m at 492.13 a game), or attacking kicks (127), while he is equal first for 40/20s (three).
And those numbers have been crucial given the Dolphins’ cavalry on the sidelines, as Katoa works tireless alongside the club’s kicking coach, former Brisbane Lions star Daniel Rich.
“He’s got a lot of knowledge on how to kick a footy, so it’s been awesome to have him,” Katoa said.
“We’re always talking about how I can improve as a kicker and as a halfback – what kicks I need to do – and he always gives me some review and feedback of my kicking.
“It’s just working on what I’m doing well and also learning a couple of new things.”
When fan favourite Tom Gilbert went down in his team’s last preseason trial with a ruptured ACL, the team was once again stripped of its chief enforcer.
Marquee signing Thomas Flegler followed – tasked with spearheading the Dolphins’ pack, his career now hangs in the balance owing to nerve damage in his shoulder.
Without that platform to work behind, Katoa’s kick distance and placement will be paramount, particularly if they face several other narrow contests, such as their defeats to Melbourne, Canberra and New Zealand (all within six points), and their wins over Cronulla and South Sydney.
But against the Rabbitohs on Thursday night, Katoa showed a willingness not to go into his shell, even with the game on the line.
On the first set after the kick-off following a Sean O’Sullivan try, which took the Dolphins eight points in front, Katoa attacked the blindside from within his own half and fired a perfect pass for winger Jack Bostock to burst into the clear and find Trai Fuller to score and seal the match.
It was a brave move, given they had already conceded once off a mistake at a restart, but spoke of the confidence Katoa brings into his game.
In sync for the run home
Often when a veteran and rising star are challenged to lead a team, the elder statesman pulls the strings while the younger team-mate plays off instinct.
But the Dolphins pairing of Katoa and Kodi Nikorima have flipped the script.
Isaiya Katoa and Kodi Nikorima celebrate for the Dolphins.Credit: NRL Photos
In attacking territory, Katoa can be seen going deep into the line before unleashing Nikorima wider of the ruck, who relies on his gut feel whether he throws a deft pass, takes the line on or finds a grubber into the in-goal.
The ploy has led to Nikorima’s 13 try assists, 16 line break assists and six forced dropouts, while Katoa leads the competition for line engagements (133) and line break involvements (14).
Just how in-sync Katoa and Nikorima have become was made clear against South Sydney this week, when Katoa put through a pinpoint grubber on fourth tackle at close range, with Nikorima dictating the run early and scoring untouched.
The Dolphins face a stern run home – top-four sides Penrith, Melbourne and Sydney, along with shock contenders the Bulldogs, among their final eight games.
It will place a huge onus on midseason recruit Tevita Pangai Junior and veterans Felise Kaufusi and Bromwich brothers Jesse and Kenny to remain fit and lay the platform in the forwards to allow Katoa to work behind them.
Asked if his Dolphins can keep winning without such star power, coach Wayne Bennett was typically pragmatic: “We just have to, don’t we? No one’s going to stop the comp for us and give us a month’s break.
“We have a team of guys who keep putting their hands up regardless … that’s what we want.
“Max Plath did a pretty good job there [at hooker], he’s no Jeremy Marshall-King, and the next player’s not going to be Euan Aitken, but the guys keep turning up for us and that’s all I can ask.”