Prodigious halfback talent Isaiya Katoa has no intention of leaving the Dolphins and has rubbished suggestions he is considering moving back to Sydney to continue his career.
The 21-year-old has, however, confirmed why playing for NSW at State of Origin level, as Blues great Andrew Johns predicted he would do for a decade, is a long-held goal.
Katoa is signed at the Dolphins until the end of 2028 and plays his best football under his club and Tonga coach Kristian Woolf.
The possibility of Manly captain and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans linking with the Dolphins next year had led to Sydney media speculation that Katoa, a Penrith junior, was angling to return south.
“I don’t know where that chat came from but I am definitely not going back to Sydney,” Katoa said after shining in the 30-12 win over Penrith on Thursday night.
“I love the Dolphins and playing under a coach like Woolfy. I feel my best footy is definitely played under Woolfy.
“The trust he instils in me, the only way I can repay it is by playing well so I am definitely not going anywhere.
“My family love it here and moved here from Sydney. My partner loves it up here as well.”
Isaiya Katoa passes. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
New Zealand-born Katoa moved to Sydney when he was nine and played his juniors with Glenmore Park Brumbies before rising through the Panthers system. He qualifies to play Origin football for NSW and was humbled by Johns’s praise in his newspaper column.
“It is great to receive comments like that, especially from someone like Joey Johns,” Katoa said.
“As a kid I knew I was eligible for (Origin) and in the back of my mind it was always a dream. What if one day I would be able to represent the NSW Blues?
“I know that only comes by playing good footy with the Dolphins and there are still so many areas of my game I need to work on.”
Former Penrith and NSW playmaker Jamie Soward and idol Nathan Cleary are two Blues that inspired Katoa.
“Obviously, being a Penrith junior, Sowie was there when I was fairly young and I saw his development as a player,” Katoa said.
“Nathan has been awesome as a mentor. I don’t speak to him much but when I do you can tell how calm he is.
“It is just his presence on the field. One thing I took out of his game last year, when they beat us (28-26) with his field goal after being down by 12, was the only way they got back in the game was because he was on the ball, demanding it and making plays.”
Katoa wasn’t happy with the way he finished 2024 and worked on his defence and running game in the pre-season, both qualities which have impressed this year.
His tackle efficiency is 87.2 per cent and he is averaging 105m per game, both career highs.
In the 36-10 win over the Gold Coast in round five he ran for 193m.
“It was more of a mindset change for me, just wanting the ball in my hands,” he said.
“The way I can do that is by organising shape where I get my hands on the ball more and play out the front rather than sitting behind the forwards and waiting for the ball.”
Cleary blasts defensive lapses
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary didn’t have to think too hard when asked what was behind the dire 1-5 start to the season for the four-time defending premiers.
“It’s pretty obvious that our defence is not up to standard and that’s actually having a big effect on the rest of our game. It did tonight,” Cleary said after the 30-12 loss to the Dolphins on Thursday night.
The Panthers, in 15th position, have now conceded 170 points in six games at 28 per match and are one of the NRL’s worst in that area.
After six matches last year they had given up 92 points, just 15 per outing, and had the best defence in the league.
“That’s just too many weeks where we just can’t defend our line early in the game, which gives the opposition confidence and probably takes ours away,” Cleary said.
“It’s something that we’ve historically been so good at, so that’s probably a little concerning for all of us.
“We’ve got to get to work and make sure we improve it, because if we don’t then the same things will keep happening. I’m still confident we can improve it, we just need to do it.
“We definitely have some young guys and changes in combinations and chemistry, but we also have some guys that have been there a bit as well.
“Conceding 30 points every week puts a lot of pressure on everything else.”
Part of that “everything else” is the attack which is also not working. The Panthers played the ball 50 times inside the Dolphins quarter but scored just two tries from kicks. It was a shambolic display at times.
There is no doubt the loss of Nathan Cleary’s halves partner Jarome Luai to Wests Tigers has hurt, as has a plethora of personnel changes over the previous seasons during their dynasty.
“It’s not just the players we’ve lost, but that’s the fifth different spine we’ve had in six weeks as well, so there have been a lot of changes,” Cleary said.
“It’s early in the season and there’s been a lot of tight games that we just haven’t won. If we can improve our defence, it’s going to give us a lot more confidence and then it’s just a building process from there.
“It looks like doom and gloom, but it can change quickly as well.”
Cleary gave 20-year-old former Parramatta young gun Blaize Talagi his first start in the No.6 jersey. Talagi had a difficult night, like his teammates, but there were positives as well.
“It wasn’t surprising really that he wasn’t perfect tonight, but you saw the kind of player he is,” Cleary said.
“If he doesn’t get it all right, it doesn’t stop him, he just keeps on going and keeps on asking questions.
“Tonight probably gives you some indication of maybe why I didn’t think he was ready before that, but it’s a hard one to judge on tonight.
“But I thought he was definitely asking questions all the way to the end and he’ll only get better.”
The Panthers 1-5 start to the year is an historical concern. No side in 117 years of the premiership has come back from such a dire beginning to win the title.
Reynolds in demand at Red Hill
Michael Maguire insists Brisbane skipper Adam Reynolds is in his plans for next year and has never considered this season would be his last.
The off-contract 34-year-old has been declared by coach Maguire as a certain starter for Friday night’s home clash with the Sydney Roosters.
Reynolds starred in a 46-24 win over Wests Tigers before leaving the field in the 45th minute with hamstring tightness.
The 2014 premiership winner intends to play on next year and the Broncos are in the midst of a salary cap juggle to keep him.
Maguire said he had not planned the cap management around this being Reynolds’ last in the NRL.
“It has never been my case of thinking that he retires. If you are playing well you keep on going,” Maguire said.
“He has been around to know that when you are having conversations with an organisation they are ongoing.
“The game has shown that the older boys are still doing great things.
“I want (to keep) everyone that is here and we have got to work around that. Every club is going through various salary cap decisions and we are no different. We have close conversations with all our players.”
Not only is the Broncos maestro in top form through five rounds, the narratives around him being allegedly injury-prone are misguided.
He has played at least 20 games in 10 of his completed 13 seasons. Last year the 293-game veteran missed 11 matches due to a biceps contact injury, not through breaking down.
“You are definitely right about Reyno with the myth. Some time ago people thought he was finished and he has definitely proved that is not the case,” Maguire said.
“Last year he obviously faced a bit of adversity but every player goes through it at some stage. He is getting close to his 300 in the next months so that says a lot about where Reyno is at.”
Maguire said Reynolds continuing on would be no impediment for other squad halves Coby Black and Jock Madden.
“Coby is young, he is at the start and has the best seat in the house, same with Jock, when you are learning with (Reynolds and Ben Hunt) in front of you,” he said.
“I have a really big opinion of Jock. I have had him a few years ago when he first progressed into playing NRL at the Wests Tigers, but when you have two players like that, you just become a sponge.
“One who has played nearly 350 games and one who is nearly at 300 in Reyno.”
Maguire said there were no issues around Reynolds’ hamstring on match eve.
“He is playing. He trained well two days and we will have a captain’s run today. He will be up and about,” Maguire said.
“It is one we have obviously got to manage and monitor but the medical staff here are really strong on what they know and how they have dealt with Reyno so he is good to go.”
with AAP
