Can Katoa succeed Cleary? His form behind a depleted pack may answer
Dolphins veteran Mark Nicholls believes Isaiya Katoa is ready to answer a State of Origin SOS, and would rise to the occasion of filling Nathan Cleary's void.
Cleary has been under an injury cloud ahead of the series decider on July 9, hampered by a groin concern which limited his output for New South Wales in game two.
He has been named to return for the Panthers this week in a Blues boost given Mitch Moses remains sidelined with a calf injury.
Should the four-time premiership winner fail to get through his comeback, Katoa has emerged as a shock successor, with Luke Metcalf, Matt Burton, Nicho Hynes and Adam Reynolds other options.
Katoa has spearheaded Tonga since the 2022 World Cup, taking the island nation to the Pacific Championship final last year, while he assumed his club's captaincy against Newcastle in the absence of Tom Gilbert and Felise Kaufusi, and will do so again on Saturday against the Rabbitohs.
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While NRL Immortal Andrew Johns raised fears throwing the 21-year-old into the furnace could be detrimental to his development, Nicholls believed he had the fortitude to respond to the occasion.
'He could do the job for sure. I'd love to see him [do it] and it would be great for us if he could get that experience and come back to the club a better player,' Nicholls said.
'With the position he has played he has been our unnatural leader for three years now, that's his job as the halfback to direct the team around. This year we have seen him play that 50th game milestone, [and] a lot of players say they don't feel like a first grader until they play 50.
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Herbie goes bananas as Dolphins' dazzle bears fruit
There was once a hit film called Herbie Goes Bananas and the Dolphins have a star centre living up to that billing. In the 1980 movie, the owners of the Volkswagen Beetle known as Herbie uncover counterfeiters in Mexico. At the Dolphins there's Herbie Farnworth, the England international carving up defensive systems of NRL teams that aren't the real deal when it comes to defence, or stopping him at least. He's uncovered plenty of defensive deficiencies. Farnworth now has 40 offloads for the season, the most of any back in the NRL. He is one of the key reasons why the ninth-placed Dolphins have a positive points differential of 140, the most of any side apart from third-placed Melbourne. Farnworth has been working on variations of his late offload at training but he has already showcased the art with precision this year on his way to 10 tries and seven try assists. 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The Dolphins have named former Wests Tigers flyer Junior Tupou to replace Bostock against the Rabbitohs. There was once a hit film called Herbie Goes Bananas and the Dolphins have a star centre living up to that billing. In the 1980 movie, the owners of the Volkswagen Beetle known as Herbie uncover counterfeiters in Mexico. At the Dolphins there's Herbie Farnworth, the England international carving up defensive systems of NRL teams that aren't the real deal when it comes to defence, or stopping him at least. He's uncovered plenty of defensive deficiencies. Farnworth now has 40 offloads for the season, the most of any back in the NRL. He is one of the key reasons why the ninth-placed Dolphins have a positive points differential of 140, the most of any side apart from third-placed Melbourne. Farnworth has been working on variations of his late offload at training but he has already showcased the art with precision this year on his way to 10 tries and seven try assists. 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The 19 reasons NSW have the edge over Maroons before Origin III
If the lopsided penalty count in Origin II gave Queensland a helping hand, the NRL draw has done the Blues a huge favour in the lead-up to game three. No less than 10 Blues will have completed their club commitments by Friday night, compared to nine Queenslanders who will be forced to play almost 48 hours later on Sunday afternoon. The schedule worked against Laurie Daley's side before game two, when the Easter Monday clash between the Bulldogs and Parramatta meant five players – Stephen Crichton, Max King, Mitchell Moses, Zac Lomax and 18th man Matt Burton – were unable to train until Thursday in camp. But Daley will be relieved if Crichton, King, Burton, Penrith quintet Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards, Liam Martin and Brian To'o all come through Thursday night's Dogs-Panthers blockbuster unscathed. Jarome Luai and Hudson Young will play for the Wests Tigers and Canberra respectively on Friday, while Connor Watson and Angus Crichton will have already put their feet up because of the Sydney Roosters' bye. The Maroons, on the other hand, will have Cameron Munster, Harry Grant, Trent Loiero, Xavier Coates, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Mo Fotuaika, Tom Dearden, Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai all playing on Sunday afternoon. The extra 48 hours will help NSW players to overcome any bumps and bruises, while Daley will be able to hold a full training session on Wednesday in Leura – something he could not do last camp. Wrapping up their club commitments so early will mean Cleary and Luai can come into camp fresh and benefit from a full preparation, as opposed to just two sessions last time around when Luai was parachuted in late for the injured Moses.
