It’s the typical mentor-versus-protégé clash, yet Dolphins half Isaiya Katoa has gained significant insights since his sole encounter with Penrith ace Nathan Cleary.
The previous year saw a thrilling game where Cleary scored with a golden-point field goal, resulting in a 28-26 victory at their home ground. This happened shortly after 21-year-old Katoa missed his chance at the opposite end, opting instead to kick a high ball rather than attempt a potentially winning field goal of his own.
The duo will face off once more at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday evening. Although Katoa generally performed well against the Panthers last season, he mentioned lately that he has closely examined the missed chance from that match.
"When we faced Penrith, I recall having a chance then but missing out. Afterward, I spoke with Wayne (Bennett), and he handled the situation very calmly," Katoa mentioned.
He simply wanted to boost my morale regarding the circumstances and emphasized that if I notice anything similar again, I should trust my instincts and take action. This is something I aim to improve upon this year.
All of them, who were part of the Panthers setup at one point, demonstrated their rapid learning curve. In last November’s match, Katoa successfully landed a 30-meter field goal for Tonga during the 76th minute, securing his team a narrow victory with a score of 25-24 in the Pacific Cup, which consequently secured their spot in the finals.
"Regarding that Penrith field goal scenario... if you consider his performance for Tonga against New Zealand, it shows he has gained valuable insight from that experience and knows how to handle such crucial moments," stated Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf.
We performed exceptionally well during that match against Penrith and set ourselves up perfectly, yet we fell short at the end. It’s crucial for a young playmaker to learn from this aspect.
Occasionally I believe that the mistakes we make are where we gain our greatest insights. This particular event fell into that category. It will contribute significantly to his personal growth and to many more experiences he has encountered subsequently.
Katoa has consistently been among the top performers for his team this season, particularly during their 36-10 victory against Gold Coast last week. In that match, he covered an impressive distance of 193 meters and showcased exceptional skills with both kicks and passes.
" He keeps demonstrating greater progress and increased self-assurance in his capabilities at this stage," Woolf stated.
Isaiya demonstrates remarkable maturity and composure for someone so young, which explains why he’s set to play his 50th match this week at just 21 years old. His dedication to becoming the finest player possible means we’ll see even more improvement from him moving forward. Over the weekend, Isaiya really took control of our team and spearheaded our offensive efforts. This was most evident as he displayed exceptional kicking skills and effectively distributed responsibility among teammates, showing great faith in their abilities. He consistently performs at his peak whenever he takes charge with the ball.
This poses a significant challenge for him (facing Cleary). They form an excellent team.
The victory from last week marked their first win of the Dolphins' season.
"It boosts the atmosphere and provides you with confidence heading into a major match, but if we fail to follow through with our performance, it won’t mean much," Woolf stated.