Dolphins co-captain Isaiya Katoa looks set for a stint on the sidelines after leaving the field in his side’s dramatic 26-24 win over the Warriors, which was iced by Selwyn Cobbo’s match-winning try and Jamayne Isaako’s sideline conversion.
The superstar halfback got through the opening 12 minutes at Suncorp Stadium, before he was spotted clutching at his wrist with a Dolphins trainer.
Isaiya Katoa sits with his arm in a sling. Getty
Katoa was immediately taken off and went up the tunnel, with word quickly filtering through that the No.7 had suffered a suspected broken arm.
“He’s gone, the trainer’s running him off in back play – this is a huge loss for the Dolphins,” Luke Keary said on Fox League commentary.
“It looked very similar to the Blayke Brailey broken arm earlier in the season.”
Replays showed the injury occurred when Katoa attempted to make a tackle on Warriors centre Adam Pompey and got his arm caught awkwardly.
“Dolphins are understandably a bit rattled … he will go for scans to determine how long he will be out,” sideline reporter Lara Pitt said.
It was also revealed the 22-year-old dislocated his wrist, but the Dolphins medical staff managed to get it back into place in the dressing rooms.
To make matters worse for the hosts, in-form winger Selwyn Cobbo was forced from the field soon after Katoa departed for a head injury assessment.
He was soon cleared to return after the 15-minute HIA period.
Cobbo opened the scoring for the Dolphins after four minutes, before Jacob Laban and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak struck back for the visitors.
Despite their leading man sitting on the sidelines with his arm in a sling, Herbie Farnworth and Isaako put the Dolphins ahead 16-12 at the break.
The second half was just as see-sawing and it was the Warriors regaining a 24-20 lead after a poor yardage error from Cobbo with just minutes left on the clock.
But after a short kick off was snatched by the Dolphins, a loose ball later in the set was cleaned up by Cobbo and he dived over in the corner to score.
Dolphins players celebrate at full-time. Fox League
Isaako then nailed the goal to give the Dolphins an epic win, with Katoa and his teammates on the bench celebrating along with the rapturous fans.
“Game of the season for me,” Keary said after full-time.
The win cements the Dolphins’ spot inside the NRL’s top-four, but they now look set to be without the skipper and marquee man Katoa.