‘Who’s this guy?’: Inside the rise of NRL’s next superstar... and Wayne act that changed his career

There was a time when Isaiya Katoa was simply one of rugby league’s most promising young halves prospects.

Four years after announcing himself on the junior stage, the Dolphins skipper is 80 minutes away from leading his club into its first NRL grand final.

However, Katoa’s rise to the top has been anything but straightforward.

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His football ability was evident from a young age, but it was a major decision to leave the Penrith Panthers that set Katoa on the path to NRL stardom with the Dolphins

After going from highly-rated prospect to first grade halfback, he quickly became one of the most important players in the club’s short history.

However, his development wasn’t without its setbacks.

In 2024, after finding himself dropped on the eve of the Dolphins first chance to make the finals, Katoa had to confront a different side of the game.

Now with his future at the Dolphins secure and his value soaring, he finds himself one win away from leading them to a maiden grand final appearance.

This is the story of how he get here.

THE MAKINGS OF ISAIYA KATOA

Long before Isaiya Katoa was steering the Dolphins around to an NRL finals campaign, there were already signs he possessed the ability to take control of a game by himself.

While his junior career had already taken him to representative level, his man-of-the-match performance in the 2022 Under-19s SG Ball Cup Grand Final offered a glimpse of the player he would become.

Playing for the Panthers at the time, Katoa’s Penrith side trailed 20-0 at half-time against a Sydney Roosters outfit that had entered the decider undefeated with the game seemingly slipping beyond their reach.

But, Katoa had other ideas.

Wearing the No. 7 jersey, the teenager took control of the contest, dictated the tempo, and helped engineer a stunning comeback as the Panthers prevailed 22-20 to claim their premiership, with Katoa awarded Player of the Match honours.

Four years on, the Roosters players who lined up against Katoa that afternoon can still remember how the young halfback took control of the game and helped lead Penrith to a miraculous comeback.

“My memories are a bit of a blur. We were dominating the first half, then Isaiya Katoa did his thing. He did his thing in the second half, and then he was able to lead them to a win,” Benaiah Ioelu told foxsports.com.au.

“He’s a gun player. All the credit and the hype on his name, he deserves it. He’s definitely someone we watch. A lot of our boys love the way he plays.

“Some of the stuff that he does is freakish. A lot of us boys were just amazed at how he can control the ball. It’s like a wand in his hand.”

Ioelu was not the only Roosters player who saw something special in Katoa that afternoon.

Robert Toia and Salesi Foketi were also on the field that day, giving the pair a front-row seat to his stunning second-half performance.

“You try to forget something like that, to be honest,” Foketi told foxsports.com.au.

“He was dangerous. You watch him play SG Ball and what he did there and then he went on to kick the field-goal in (Under-21s) Jersey Flegg and won that as well.

“He’s a crazy player. That was my first time (I faced him). We didn’t play Penrith that year in SG Ball and then ended up getting the grand final against them and you’re like ‘Who’s this guy?’”

Toia, who played in the centres that day in a team that also featured Cassius Tia, Ethan Strange, Xavier Va’a and Vena Patuki-Case, saw a different side to Katoa’s performance.

Rather than producing an array of spectacular highlights, he simply took control of the contest, slowly dragging Penrith back into the match and guiding them to victory.

Toia added, “He was able to control the game. He didn’t have too many flash moments but the way he controlled the game really brought them back.”

Four years on, the Roosters teammates haven’t forgotten what they witnessed from the then-18-year-old.

But for Siua Wong, Katoa’s grand final heroics came as little surprise.

“Versing him in the SG Ball Grand Final in 2022, he had a great game. We were leading 20-nil into half-time and he helped lead them to a comeback,” Wong told foxsports.com.au.

“As a person, I’m so proud of him cause of the relationship we have, but as a player I definitely know we’ve got to do a job on him to make sure we can contain him as much as we can.

“It was a great season. We were undefeated until that grand final.

“We started the half really well but Izzy just has that ability in him to control the game and control the tempo of the game and he did that within the last 20 minutes.

“He’s shown at that age he had the ability to play some good footy.”

Even before that match in 2022, Wong had already witnessed first-hand what Katoa was capable of, having played alongside him during their junior rugby union days.

“He’s a great player. Obviously played a little bit with him through Tonga and actually through our junior rugby union days,” Wong added.

“He’s an awesome player. I feel like he’s definitely someone you’ve got to keep an eye on and game plan around because he obviously leads the ship for that Dolphins side.

“Wherever he is, you know the ball’s going to go there.”

Although they never actually faced each other until that SG Ball Cup Grand Final in 2022, Wong had already lined up alongside Katoa for the Gen Blue Waratahs, where he got an early glimpse of the young halfback’s footballing instincts.

“He was 12 and I was 13 and I remember one time at training he put me through a short ball and I went through untouched,” Wong continued.

“I knew from that day cause you see a lot of halves using deception, looking out the ball and playing short and he was doing that from the age of 17 and from then on I knew he was going to be a great player.”

Even from the age of 12, Wong knew Katoa had the natural ability to go a long way as a professional athlete, even if he wasn’t sure which code he would choose.

“From that instant, I didn’t know if he was going to play Union or NRL because he was such a weapon, but I definitely knew he was going to play professionally. That’s for sure,” he elaborated.

THE BIG DECISION

In his final year of high school at Barker College, Katoa was regarded as the best prospect in both rugby league and rugby union.

Yet despite his enormous potential, the youngster was prepared to bid his time at the foot of the mountains.

Then the Dolphins came calling.

“I was so happy to just sit at Penrith and wait my time and continue to develop my game as a junior,” he said on UNSCRIPED with Josh Mansour.

“One thing at Penrith is they hold really high standards and they develop you as much as possible to be able to take that next step up.

“Ultimately, the decision on why I left Penrith was because I had an opportunity to be Top 30, whereas at Penrith understandably I was sitting behind Nathan, Jarome, Jack Cole, Niwhai [Puru]- so a lot of good halves in front of me.

“I was still happy to stay there. If the Dolphins didn’t offer me anything, I was more than happy to stay at Penrith, but the Dolphins came to me and offered me a Top 30.”

While the opportunity to join an NRL Top 30 roster was a major factor in his decision, it was then-Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett that ultimately helped sway Katoa.

The supercoach promised to look after the highly-rated teenager while also pushing him to reach his potential.

This struck a chord with Katoa and his father, Kotoni.

“I had a Zoom meeting with Wayne, Terry Reader and Peter O’Sullivan with my manager and my parents,” Katoa added.

“One thing that Wayne said to me in that meeting, which not only touched me but my dad as well, was, ‘Isaiya, when you come over to the Dolphins, I’ll make sure I put my arm around you and look after you, but I also get the best out of you’.

“Wayne didn’t need to say that, but for him to say that, that was ultimately what made our decision and it was an opportunity to be a first grader, live it, breathe it.

“Whether I play or not, that’s up to me in the pre-season and during the season, but just having the opportunity to go there and be in the Top 30, I’d be silly to turn it down.

“It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made for my own career.”

Foxsports.com.au has since learned the Wests Tigers also had an interest in signing Katoa at the time.

At the time, Katoa’s call to agree to link up with the Dolphins didn’t go down to well at the foot of the mountains.

After informing the Panthers of his decision to leave at the end of the season, he was no longer given the opportunity to play in their Under-21s Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup sides.

Instead he was relegated to playing with the Glenmore Park Brumbies for their A-Grade squad.

“Isaiya has done nothing wrong here. Unfortunately, this is just the competitive nature of the NRL,” Penrith CEO Matt Cameron told the Herald at the time.

“The club made an offer to him earlier in the year, which he declined and then accepted the offer at Redcliffe.

“We’re disappointed he’s leaving but as a club we have an obligation to develop the next one and the one behind him.

“He plays in a pivotal position, and it’s in the club’s best interest to make sure we continue to develop the halves that are committed to Panthers.

“I said that to his manager at the time. My job is to future-proof the Penrith Panthers.

“Continuing to play him in front of others with longer-term contracts doesn’t do our club any favours in the long term. It’s why Jack Cole and Niwhai Puru are playing in those positions moving forward.”

Reflecting on the decisions years later, former Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher told foxsports.com.au this week Katoa’s move ultimately worked out for everyone involved.

“That happens when you’ve got a big nursery and so forth. You’re going to lose them. That’s where Matt Cameron and Ivan are special people because they don’t stop the kids from moving,” he said.

“They get a better offer and can improve himself. He would have still been playing reserve grade actually because he’s not going to get in front of Nathan, is he?

“Plus, I think he tripled his salary too, which we couldn’t afford in our cap. It was a good result all round, and the kid’s going good and we’ve still got Nathan, we’ve now got his brother coming back.

“It’s always if you lose someone in the pathways, there’s always somebody coming up to fill the gap anyway. So that’s just a part of the game. It’s no good sulking about it, you’ve got to get on with it.”

BREAKING THROUGH THE DOLPHINS

After arriving at Redcliffe, Katoa took his opportunity in the NRL with both hands, quickly establishing himself as the club’s No.7.

However, after playing 44 matches - 21 consecutive games in 2024 - he found himself dropped to the interchange bench in the penultimate round against the Brisbane Broncos.

And then, a week later, with the club on the cusp of making their inaugural finals series, he was shockingly axed from the 17 altogether for their clash against the Newcastle Knights.

A victory would have secured the Dolphins a maiden finals berth, but they lost 14-6, bringing their season to a heartbreaking end.

“It was definitely one of the toughest pills to swallow, but at the same time I understood that my footy wasn’t backing up wanting to stay in the team. I was making errors in games that were completely uncharacteristic,” he said on UNSCRIPTED with Josh Mansour.

“I remember having that conversation when Wayne did drop me and it was a completely and brutally honest conversation.

“Wayne goes to me, ‘What do you think is the reason your form has dropped? ’ And I go to him, to be completely honest, I’ve gone into games focusing on not making errors, but I’m making more errors.

“He goes, that is a good way to put it because not only are you going into the game with negative (thoughts), but you’re putting yourself under pressure to not make errors, then you’re making errors.

“He goes, honestly, I feel like I’ve played a part in it and it was good to hear Wayne say that.”

CAN KATOA LEAD THEM TO THE GRAND FINAL?

That axing proved to be a turning point in Katoa’s career.

Rather than letting the setback derail his confidence, it forced him to confront the mental side of the game and rethink how he approached football both on and off the field.

Now, with a grand final appearance just 80 minutes away, Katoa has earned the respect of his opponents - and they know exactly what they are up against.

“He’s a very intelligent footballer for a guy who’s so young,” Roosters centre Billy Smith told foxsports.com.au.

“He understands the game really well. He’s a really smart footy brain and a good kicking game, so you need to be on.

“I suppose that’s one of the challenges for us this week to try and get inside his mind a little bit and nullify his tactics.

“We’ve come up against each other a few times and I’m confident we can get the job done.”

Katoa’s kicking game has become a crucial part of his development, giving the Dolphins a reliable way to place pressure on opposing teams by controlling territory.

Speaking ahead of Friday’s match, Origin front-rower Lindsay Collins knows the best way to stop him is to deny him the time and space to create something out of nothing, limiting his impact on the field.

“For me, as a forward, it’s someone you can’t give too much time to. I’m just thinking about my role and trying to take away as much time as possible,” Collins told foxsports.com.au.

“It’s just with defensive pressure and line speed. The less time for him to think, the harder it is for him as well.

“He’s a good player and makes smart decisions and good decisions, but it’s when he gets too much to time he’s able to do that.”

After spending time with him during NSW Blues camp, dummy-half Reece Robson was not only impressed by his skill set but believes he has a long and bright future ahead of him in the NRL.

However, that admiration will be set aside on Friday night as Robson focuses on ensuring Katoa’s rise doesn’t come at the Roosters’ expense.

“He’s a great player and is already doing so much in the game and I think it’s just exciting how big his future’s going to be,” Robson told foxsports.com.au.

“I think for us we need to make sure we can nullify him as much as we can on Friday night, but he’s a great player and exciting talent.”

THE NEXT CHAPTER

As Katoa prepares for the biggest test of his young career, his long-term future has become a talking point throughout the past 12 months.

A member of this year’s extended NSW Blues squad, the superstar halfback remains contracted to the Dolphins until the end of 2028, but speculation has continued to swirl over whether he could be lured away from Redcliffe by another team or even rugby union.

However, he has made it clear where he sees his future.

“I’m completely happy here. To be honest, I’ve got no aspirations to leave the Dolphins,” Katoa told The Courier-Mail in August.

“I owe this club everything. I know there’s other clubs out there and opportunities, but the Dolphins gave me an opportunity straight out of high school to come and live out my dreams.

“My biggest goal is to repay this club. I know the biggest way to repay them is with a championship.

“So I’m not looking to go anywhere else ... hopefully I can win a premiership here.”

Currently on a deal worth around $650,000 a season, Katoa is in line to earn a significant upgrade on his next contract.

The Dolphins captain is expected to join the NRL’s million-dollar club, with a 2025 player agents survey conducted by CODE Sports revealing he could become the competition’s first $2 million player - with only Nathan Cleary and Payne Haas rated ahead of him.

That would represent a staggering increase and it underlines how rapidly his value has risen since making his debut.

“It is always lovely when you produce your own (talent),” Phil Gould said on Six Tackles with Gus.

“He is a marquee player. Hopefully they keep him for 20 years. He is a 20-year NRL player that boy.

“They are playing until they are 37 or 38 now. He came to them as a teenager (from Penrith). If he looks after himself, which I’m sure he will, he is a long-term player.”

Immortal Wally Lewis added on QLDER, “He looks so comfortable where he is. Everything about him is fantastic.”

“The ability to work closely with the coach while also playing own style. He just looks to be in the right place at the right time.”

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