Katoa: Connection driving Dolphins into maiden finals campaign

“Our mindset is just to really attack it, enjoy the experience and soak it all in,” Katoa said.

“Obviously, it’s a pretty special moment to be a part of our first finals series, but at the same time, just making sure we all know our roles individually when we’re out there on the field.

“We want to embrace the challenge and embrace the experiences that we get.”

For Katoa, the significance of the finals campaign extends beyond simply reaching September.

With several players set to depart the Dolphins at the end of the season, the 22-year-old knows every game presents another opportunity for the group to continue their journey together.

“We’ve got some key and important players that are going to be departing us at the end of the year,” he said.

“For us, it’s going to be important to go out there and finish the year on a high.”

Connection at the heart of the Dolphins

Since entering the NRL, the Dolphins have continued to build their identity and Katoa believes the relationships developed away from rugby league have been crucial to the team’s growth.

“I’ve felt that connection get stronger every single year, and a lot of that connection is off the field,”

Katoa

“You build your connections on the field and in and around playing footy, but little things like spending our days off together on away trips, doing things together, going out and getting coffees and playing cards.

“Now that we’ve built that and it’s at a point where it’s really strong, we can start to see that transferring onto the field.”

That connection has been strengthened throughout 2026 through the club’s cultural initiatives, giving players the opportunity to share and learn more about the diverse backgrounds within the squad.

“Our team is one of the most multicultural teams you’ll find in the NRL, and I think that’s the beauty of our team,” Katoa said.

The Dolphins used their bye periods throughout the season to explore and celebrate the different cultures represented within the playing group, including Tongan, Samoan, Māori, Fijian and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

“What was really special about that was learning about all of the boys’ different cultures and what makes them who they are and how they’ve been brought up,” Katoa said.

“We go that little bit deeper into understanding who each other is.”

That understanding has translated into what Katoa believes is one of the Dolphins’ greatest strengths on the field: a willingness to work for one another.

For the Dolphins captain, playing for a teammate isn’t always about producing the moment that ends up on the highlight reel.

“For us, it’s going outside of your job description,” he said.

“Those selfless actions that are just a little bit outside of your role. I think that shows a level of care that you have towards your teammates.

“Most of those actions are based around effort. It’s not the flashy plays, it’s not the plays that go on the highlight reels. It’s normally around saving tries or turning up for your teammate.

“That’s one thing that I know our team has built for each other.”

With their first taste of finals football now awaiting, Katoa knows what the Dolphins ultimately want to achieve.

But rather than looking towards what could happen later in September, the captain says the focus remains firmly on the challenge directly in front of them.

“We know that there’s no ceiling on what we can achieve this year,” Katoa said.

“Obviously, it’s in the back of our minds that we want to win the Premiership, but we’ve still got a long way to go to get there.

“No one’s taking their mind off the job ahead this weekend.”