The young gun Matty Johns thinks will be "one of the great number sevens"

Sam Kosack • June 11th, 2025 4:15 pm

Matty Johns believes Isaiya Katoa could go down as one of the game’s best ever halfbacks when he retires, following his meteoric development this season.

At just 18, Katoa was trusted with being the inaugural halfback of The Dolphins by Wayne Bennett and has grown in strength and confidence in each subsequent season.

Now in his third season in the top flight, Katoa has emerged as an elite half in the NRL, sitting fifth on the Dally M leaderboard after Round 12 when voting went behind closed doors.

Once a Penrith junior stuck behind Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai, the Dolphins’ halfback’s rapid rise has former NSW and Australian half Matty Johns thinking about Katoa’s legacy when he finishes up.

“I'll make the prediction. I think that when he retires, we'll talk about him as one of the great number sevens,” Johns said on SEN 1170 Drive.

“His trajectory, he's just going through the roof, and… I reckon he's in the top three ball players in the game right now, and the kid’s only 21.

“(My advice would be) don't change anything, and don't send him to me. I don't want to change any of his good habits.

“Whatever he's doing in preparation or anything, just keep doing it.

“He’s a fantastic player.”

With 12 try assists in 13 games this season, Katoa has already passed his totals in each of the last two seasons. He’s also bested his season totals for offloads, while closing in on forced dropouts, tries, run metres, and tackles despite having played nine less games.

The numbers reflect Katoa’s growth into a mature halfback and backs up why he’s been earmarked as a future NSW representative.

“He's freakish,” Bryan Fletcher added.

“He seems like he doesn't have a flaw at the moment.

“Technically, he defends well. His kicking game’s obviously very good as well.”

Katoa is contracted to The Dolphins until the end of 2028.