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Dolphins young gun adamant English import can help him
Scott Bailey, AAP • August 20th, 2026 5:05 pm
Isaiya Katoa's game has flourished even more this year at the Dolphins | Photo: AAP
Isaiya Katoa believes George Williams' looming Dolphins arrival can turn him into an even better half, as he prepares to take lessons from Penrith into his first NRL finals series.
Williams is set to join the Dolphins on a two-year deal next season, after the former Canberra star's switch back to the NRL from England was arranged last year.
Since then, Katoa and Kodi Nikorima have formed one of the most dangerous halves combinations in the NRL, with both playing the best football of their careers.
George Williams is bound for the Dolphins at the start of next year | Photo: Darren England/AAP
Salary-cap constraints eventually forced the Dolphins to let Nikorima go, with the New Zealander now in line to wear St George Illawarra's No. 6 jersey next year.
But Katoa is adamant his game can continue to improve alongside Williams, despite the pair both being controlling No. 7s.
"I am not the type to want all the glory. I am sure George and I will find a bit of a balance over the pre-season," Katoa said.
"He is a quality player and he is a very experienced player as well, so it actually helps my game. I think we'll help each other really well in terms of balancing out each other.
"It will take a bit of pressure off me, which will allow me to free up a little bit. I'm really looking forward to that, but for now it's building on the connection Kodi and I have."
At age 22, Katoa has already played in a World Cup for Tonga and been earmarked as a future NSW No. 7.
Isaiya Katoa has set up 15 tries for the Dolphins this season | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
But finals football will be something new next month, with his last taste of knockout games coming when he won the under-21s Jersey Flegg at Penrith in 2022.
Katoa was not part of the Panthers' top-30 roster, but said he'd observed how players went about finals football during the early days of the Penrith dynasty.
"Anything I took away from that club was around everyone nailing their own individual role, and making sure you are clear on that," he said.
"Because what it does for your teammates and for the team is a massive thing ... we've tried to build that here around the past few years.
"If you start to think too much about trick plays and little things that you think are going to trick you out of things, you probably get focused on the wrong things.
"What's really important going into the finals for me is just about controlling the team and leading our mindset."
Kodi Nikorima will be a loss for the Dolphins at the end of the year, given the halves combination | Photo: Jono Searle/AAP
A win against Parramatta on Friday night will keep the Dolphins in the top four, ahead of a blockbuster clash with the Sydney Roosters the following Saturday.
Second-rower Connelly Lemuelu is back running after injuring his hamstring last week, and is a chance to come back in the final round against Gold Coast.
His fitness takes on extra importance for the Dolphins, given Oryn Keeley was released early to Melbourne and Max Plath has been moved to an edge.
