Winger Jamayne Isaako admits he was “filthy” after missing a game-winning kick in last year’s loss to Tonga as the Kiwis chase redemption in Sunday’s rematch at Eden Park.
New Zealand were bundled out of last year’s Pacific Championships after Isaiya Katoa sunk a 75th-minute field goal to put his side up 25-24.
The Kiwis had multiple chances to tie or hit the front before the final siren sounded. Isaako missed a long-range penalty goal before Shaun Johnson had a field goal charged down and Isaako’s one-point effort with less than a minute to play sailed wide of the uprights.
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Isaako with a chance for the lead
The winger has stewed on the moment for the past 12 months and is desperate for a shot at redemption on Sunday.
“I was filthy on myself,” Isaako told NRL.com. “They were the situations I practiced at training and I had confidence in myself that I was able to get the kick, whether it was the penalty goal or the field goal.
“It didn’t come off for me and I was filthy about it at the end of the game. I was happy for Izzy but I knew it was my opportunity that could have won us the game.
“I took that personally and it’s something I’ve worked really hard in my game. My goal kicking has been something that I’ve worked on a lot this past 12 months. If the opportunity comes again, I’ll be ready and hopefully I can slot it.”
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Absolute scenes!
The Kiwis opened their 2025 campaign with a six-point victory over Samoa in the opening week of the tournament to take a big step towards the Pacific Championships final.
Samoa responded with a big over Tonga at Suncorp Stadium last week.
The results mean Tonga must defeat New Zealand by at least 17 points to progress to next week’s Pacific Cup final at CommBank Stadium.
The two nations have developed a fierce rivalry since Jason Taumalolo first defected from the Kiwis to Tonga in 2017, triggering a rapid rise for the small Pacific Island nation.
The powerhouse lock was forced to sit out last week’s loss to Samoa but is back on deck for the clash with New Zealand at Eden Park.
While the Kiwis failed to capitalise on their opportunities in last year’s defeat to Tonga, the opposite was the case a fortnight ago.
New Zealand had one chance to break the deadlock and they made the most of it, with Dylan Brown scoring the match-winning try against Samoa.
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Dylan Brown Try
Isaako said both matches served as a reminder of the importance of little moments in international rugby league and it’s a lesson they’ll be taking into Sunday’s clash with Tonga.
“We had a few missed opportunities last year and in big games like this you’ve got to take your opportunities when they come,” Isaako said. “It didn’t work in our favour, but Isaiya managed to kick a field goal that won them the game.
“We’re hoping it’s not going to come down to that, we know what he’s capable of. For us there’s been a massive focus on how we want to defend. We want to defend a lot better than we did in the [Samoa] game.
“There’s a lot of strike power in the Tongan team, especially out on the edges, so defence is something we’re going to have to be on top of this weekend.”
Sunday’s clash will pit the old guard against the next generation, with veteran Kieran Foran to face off against Katoa.
The Tongan halfback is one of the biggest young stars in the game and his stocks have only risen since last year’s match-winning field goal against the Kiwis.
Isaako doesn’t need to be reminded how good the 21-year-old is. He sees it every week at the Dolphins throughout the NRL season.
While he normally benefits from the halfback’s mastery, the winger is looking forward to the challenge of shutting Katoa down this weekend.
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The field goal felt throughout the Pacific
“He’s their little general on the field,’ Isaako said. “Playing alongside him at the Dolphins, I see how capable he is of steering the team around and now he’s got some elite players around him in the Tongan side.
“Knowing how deep he plays into the line and how much time he can take away from the edges, the middles have to do a good job defending him.
“He’s someone our boys have to try and lock down on the weekend. Hopefully we can do that because we’ve seen how capable Izzy is and some of the things he can do in the game.”