For 76 minutes against the Penrith Panthers this year, Isaiya Katoa was the best player on the field.
Yet despite his heroics in round 20 – scoring a try, setting up another and running for 105 metres – he was remembered for failing to ice the contest; opting against a field goal in the dying stages.
It gave Nathan Cleary an opportunity to provide a golden point masterclass, and a reminder that for all of Katoa’s talent he still had much to learn.
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Katoa sends a ‘bullet’ through the posts
Sione Katoa has put Tonga ahead by one as he nails a field goal from 30 out.
Fortunately for Tonga, and the Dolphins 2025 prospects, Katoa is a fast learner.
The men in red squandered a 24-0 lead against New Zealand in the Pacific Championships, and the scores were level in the same period Katoa chose not to take the one-point against Penrith.
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This time, there would be no such mistake, and Katoa split the posts to send the island nation into the decider – giving him a shot at redemption against the Kangaroos.
“He got some things wrong against the Australians, and he could have very easily gone into his shell and stopped trying to have an influence on the game you need your halfback to have,” said Tonga and Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf.
“The really good thing about last week was he was seeing the opportunities, he didn’t quite execute some of those opportunities, so my message was simple – keep playing footy.
“Not all halves can see what he can see, and it’s ok to get it wrong sometimes – that’s human nature, and it’s what all the best players do; they learn from that and get it right next week.
“His whole game, the way he controlled the game, the way he put things together for our points, but then to show that calmness and take that one point at the end showed what he’s capable of.