'Go back and practice': League legends' advice to Isaiya Katoa over costly mistakes in Tonga defeat
Isaiya Katoa is a player of the future, no doubt about it.
During Tonga's clash with the Kangaroos, league great Andrew Johns declared Katoa and Lachlan Galvin will be the future halves for NSW.
The Tonga halfback finished the match with 35 tackles, the most of any player for his side.
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But there were moments in the young half's game against the Kangaroos he'd love to forget, with balls kicked out on the full and a 40/20 attempt going dead.
Isaiya Katoa reacts after he kicks a ball out on the full. Nine
"Four kicks from Issy Katoa, I think outside of those four kicks he had a fantastic match," Cameron Smith said on Nine.
"He kicked two dead from grubbers, he kicked two kick offs out on the full. That may be because of the occasion as well, he was up and about, excited, a bit of adrenaline too running through the body kicking that dead.
"He's playing against the Australian side and there's a lot of people here, a lot of noise. But I thought he did a fantastic job, he came off a fantastic season with the Dolphins as well.
"He is a player of the future, we're going to see many games of this young man playing at this level."
Darren Lockyer also had a simple message for the half to help rectify his mistakes.
"I think the important thing is he's got to learn from tonight," he said.
"Those kick offs, he's disappointed but he's got to go back and practice doing the kick offs so he doesn't do it again and practice his grubbers so he gets the feel right."
