Why Isaiya Katoa chose the Dolphins

There are three reasons why Isaiya Katoa didn’t hold out for a big money offer from one of the NRL expansion teams, instead opting to sign with the Dolphins until the end of the 2028 season.

The 21-year-old halfback has been the talk of the NRL this season, growing in confidence as a player and a leader, and guiding his team through an injury toll that would bring other clubs to their knees.

Katoa, who signed a contract extension in March last year, says money was not the main consideration.

“I just knew that I needed to repay the club for taking the chance on me. I came out of school and was playing maybe four or five games of rugby league a year (when they signed me),” he explains.

“For them to take a chance on me, have the faith in me to come and ultimately be the halfback of their club … that’s one thing but the other thing is I’m loving it here.”

Katoa says the club and the Redcliffe Peninsula feels like home.

He also loves being coached by Kristian Woolf who has helped him develop as a player for Tonga but also the Dolphins.

“He’s been someone who’s had a massive impact on my career so far,” Katoa says.

“For me I knew the money wasn’t a problem. I knew that where I was happy and where I was going to get the best out of myself in terms of a footy player and as a person … that’s the thing I was looking at.”

His humble and level-headed attitude, and capacity for hard work, are not remarkable qualities at the Dolphins – they are at the club’s very foundation and likely how they have managed to overcome adversity time and time again.

The sheer number of injuries endured by a team, to so many key players, is the stuff of nightmares.

Instead of allowing the situation to derail their season, the Dolphins have embraced the opportunity it has given emerging players to step up and earn their place at the top level.

Katoa says it’s something the squad prepared for in the preseason, with players training in a variety of positions.

He credits the Dolphins’ recruitment for the club’s ability to withstand the high injury toll of this year.

“The way they have recruited players that come in with a good attitude, an attitude to want to work hard. We had guys changing positions and training in all different positions throughout the preseason and it’s pretty much set us up for this scenario that we’re in right now where we’re losing guys in important positions but we’re not sitting around as a team and making any excuses for our results,” Katoa explains.

“We can do a job with the players that we have, we’re confident in that. One thing that has been a standout for us is the confidence Woolfy gives those players when they come in.

“They don’t have to come in and be a Herbie Farnworth, come in and be yourself buy into what the team needs and the results will look after themselves.”

Farnworth has been sidelined with a hamstring injury for four to six weeks, forcing Woolf to again shuffle players to fill the gaps. The team list will be released tomorrow afternoon.

Felise Kaufusi will miss two games after taking an early guilty plea for a dangerous contact charge during the 20-18 win over the Warriors last round.

In good news for the Dolphins, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki is likely to return for this round’s clash with the Roosters on Saturday (5.30pm kick off) after recovering from a broken thumb.

Jamayne Isaako should be OK after playing through a groin injury last round, scoring the match-winning try, and training with the rehabilitation group today.

Katoa says the win is a reflection of what they are building at the club – that never-say-die attitude.

“I think one of the biggest things for us this year is the connection that we’re building off the field. It’s awesome to see how that’s correlating onto the field now,” he says.

“Seeing guys turn up for each other, seeing guys put in the extra effort to keep moving … that never-say-die attitude … it’s something that we’re going to continue to build.

“I think it’s something that we built when Wayne was here … never giving up on our team, never giving up on our club. We just knew that the result was bigger to the fans than it was to us.”